Damian Warner won gold in one of track and fieldB次元官网网址檚 most gruelling events, masterfully laying down one terrific performance after another over 10 events and two days, in the smothering Tokyo heat.

But WarnerB次元官网网址檚 story is about much more than his Olympic victory.

In an unforgettable year jam-packed with tales of resilience, WarnerB次元官网网址檚 was one of the most remarkable. And the golden ending meant that much more for the gargantuan challenges he and his team hurdled get there.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, winning the gold medal is going to be thing that stands out the most, just because IB次元官网网址檝e been chasing it for the longest period of time,B次元官网网址� Warner said. B次元官网网址淏ut what IB次元官网网址檓 most proud of is how we persevered through the situation that we had, because it wasnB次元官网网址檛 ideal, and it was tough, but we found a way to work around it, while also being at our best.

B次元官网网址淪o, knowing how the journey was leading up to the Games, makes everything thatB次元官网网址檚 happened that much more special.B次元官网网址�

The 32-year-old from London, Ont., captured CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first Olympic decathlon title in emphatic fashion. He set an Olympic record and a Canadian record, and became just the fourth man in history to top the elusive 9,000-point barrier.

He capped his year Wednesday by winning the Lionel Conacher Award as The Canadian Press male athlete of the year.

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WarnerB次元官网网址檚 year was the stuff of Hollywood movies. COVID-19 closures forced him to train in an otherwise empty, rundown hockey arena in London. HeB次元官网网址檇 warm his hands over space heaters, but his fingers and toes would inevitably go numb. A 40-metre strip of track his coaches had glued down was as far as he could run.

He hit rock bottom in late February.

B次元官网网址淲e were pole vaulting and I was getting really frustrated B次元官网网址� it seemed like everything was just too much,B次元官网网址� he said.

He told coaches Gar Leyshon and Dennis Nielsen that it was a waste of time, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 gold-medal training.

B次元官网网址淎nd Gar and Dennis said B次元官网网址榃e have no other solution. This is all we have.B次元官网网址� It was like this (realization) that this is all we have, and IB次元官网网址檓 not going to quit on my goals.B次元官网网址�

The Conacher race was a close one with Warner receiving 18 of the 47 votes cast by sports editors, writers and broadcasters across Canada. Sprinter Andre De Grasse was second with 14, while soccerB次元官网网址檚 Alphonso Davies, who won the award in 2020, had seven votes to finish third.

B次元官网网址淎ccepting awards like this is weird to me, because it is like a coin flip essentially,B次元官网网址� Warner said. B次元官网网址淎ndre won a gold medal, and Alfonso is having an incredible year. So, when youB次元官网网址檙e picked, you kind of feel guilty to a certain extent. ItB次元官网网址檚 a good problem to have in Canada that we have so many athletes, and not only us three but the list goes on and on and on of people that were really successful this year. As a sports fan, thatB次元官网网址檚 always a cool thing to see.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪o, itB次元官网网址檚 always a humbling thing and IB次元官网网址檓 grateful to be recognize, (but) itB次元官网网址檚 also recognizing my family, my coaches and everybody that helped me get to this point, which is what I think is really cool about it,B次元官网网址� he added.

Warner finally turned the corner on the gloomy winter when his son Theo was born on March 11. Because he was born by C-section, it was tough for Cotten, a former world class track athlete, to climb in and out of their bed for feeding. So they moved down to their living room for two weeks. They had the Netflix show B次元官网网址淪uperstoreB次元官网网址� on a B次元官网网址渓oop, like 24/7,B次元官网网址� because the characters were B次元官网网址渂right and loud and energetic.B次元官网网址�

Two months later, Warner stepped onto the track for his first decathlon in 20 months, and shattered his own Canadian record to win the prestigious Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis, Austria.

Turns out, he was just getting going.

B次元官网网址淒amian Warner did what no other Canadian Olympian has ever done by winning the decathlon,B次元官网网址� said Kevin Martel, anchor at 980 CJME Regina. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 widely regarded as the most complete medal at the Olympics, since you have to excel in so many different events.B次元官网网址�

WarnerB次元官网网址檚 final score of 9,018 in Tokyo was an Olympic record. He won by almost 300 points. His long jump alone would have won him bronze in the Olympic long jump event. His 100-metre time of 10.12 seconds would have almost got him into the open 100 final. Had he run the open 100, he would have been the second fastest Canadian behind De Grasse.

B次元官网网址淒amian Warner had to train under difficult situations for 10 events,B次元官网网址� said Globe and Mail sports layout editor Phil King. B次元官网网址淎t the Olympics, he rightly won the title of the worldB次元官网网址檚 greatest athlete. He deserves every accolade The Canadian Press can give him and more. He is the cream of the crop B次元官网网址� in the world.B次元官网网址�

Tennis player Leylah Fernandez won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as CPB次元官网网址檚 top female athlete on Tuesday. The team of the year will be unveiled Thursday.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press

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