Editor, The News:
British Columbian athletes did us proud during the 2012 London Olympics.
Not only did the flagbearers at the opening and closing ceremonies (Simon Whitfield and Christine Sinclair) represent both our province and our country, but all three winners of swimming medals (Brent Hayden, Ryan Cochrane and Richard Weinberger) currently reside in B.C.
Makes you wonder if there’s something in our water that’s missing from other parts of the country.
Soccer star Karina Leblanc, whose roots are right here in Maple Ridge, is the athlete I cheered for the loudest.
Years ago, she inspired my children as a guest speaker in their elementary classrooms.
Like all athletes, Karina has had her ups and downs, but it was that rare quality, fierce determination, which made her endure all these years in a sport she so obviously loves and for which she has a great talent.
Although Canadians are used to seeing our teams excel in team sports at the Winter Olympics (think curling and hockey), you’d have to go back to the 1936 records to find a Canadian team which won a medal at the Summer Games.
That’s only part of why Karina’s triumph is so historic.
While I applaud all members of the 2012 Canadian Olympic team just for getting as far as they did in their chosen sport, I will always have a special place in my heart for our homegrown soccer player, Karina Leblanc.
She’s proof that raw talent, courage and heart can take you a long way in this world.
Elizabeth Rosenau
Maple Ridge