CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Justin Kripps already knew what it felt like to step onto an Olympic podium. But his teammates didnB次元官网网址檛, and he wanted to share that experience with them.
That was a motivating factor for Kripps, who piloted his crew to a bronze medal in four-man bobsled on the final day at the Beijing Games B次元官网网址� CanadaB次元官网网址檚 last medal of the Olympics.
The 35-year-old Kripps, who won gold in the two-man bobsled at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, held onto third place by six-hundreths of a second.
The bronze was a first Olympic medal for Ryan Sommer of White Rock, B.C., Cam Stones of Whitby, Ont., and Ben Coakwell of Moose Jaw, Sask.
B次元官网网址淚t means the world to me to have these three guys in the sled with me, and now theyB次元官网网址檙e Olympic medallists,B次元官网网址� said Kripps, of Summerland, B.C.
B次元官网网址淚 came into these Games with an Olympic medal already, and this team that has just been grinding for four years, been together for four years, and for it to culminate in an Olympic medal is just amazing.B次元官网网址�
Kripps piloted his crew to an overall time of three minutes 55.09 seconds at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre, well behind the gold and silver winners from Germany.
The Canadians were third after the first two heats on Saturday. They started the fourth heat with a slim edge over GermanyB次元官网网址檚 Christoph Hafer and hung on for the podium appearance.
B次元官网网址淲hen you cross that finish line, all of a sudden youB次元官网网址檙e aware of how much pressure there was,B次元官网网址� Kripps said. B次元官网网址淪o in that moment, it felt amazing to have accomplished it.B次元官网网址�
Chris Spring of Priddis, Alta., finished ninth overall.
The bronze was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 second bobsled medal of the Games B次元官网网址� Christine de Bruin of Stony Plain, Alta., won bronze in the monobob.
It was also CanadaB次元官网网址檚 26th medal overall, closing out an out-of-the-ordinary Beijing Olympics highly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic both during the sporting event and in the months leading up to it.
Those 26 medals B次元官网网址� four gold, eight silver and 14 bronze B次元官网网址� put Canada fourth in the total medal table behind Norway (37), Russia (32) and Germany (27). The Canadians finished ahead of the United States (24).
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 four gold was its lowest total of top-podium finishes since Lillehammer 1994.
B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 not gloss over how difficult these last two years were for Team Canada, that in my estimation had to endure the most restrictive COVID protocols of any nation,B次元官网网址� said David Shoemaker, the Canadian Olympic CommitteeB次元官网网址檚 chief executive officer.
Three of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 26 medals were won by OttawaB次元官网网址檚 Isabelle Weidemann, who was named CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag-bearer for SundayB次元官网网址檚 closing ceremonies.
The long-track speedskater won a complete set of medals in Beijing, including the countryB次元官网网址檚 very first medal of the Games: bronze in the womenB次元官网网址檚 3,000 metres.
The 26-year-old followed that up with silver in the 5,000 metres. She finished with gold in the team pursuit alongside teammates Ivanie Blondin and Val茅rie Maltais.
On Sunday, Weidemann led a masked 221 athlete delegation dressed in B次元官网网址渨inter whiteB次元官网网址� into Beijing National Stadium for the closing ceremonies.
It was a joyous moment as the Canadians took selfies, recorded videos and danced amidst a throng of fellow Olympians on the floor of the massive venue nicknamed the B次元官网网址淏irdB次元官网网址檚 NestB次元官网网址� for its unique outer structure.
Figure skater Eric Radford hoisted partner Vanessa James into the air with one arm, as other Canadians waved Maple Leaf flags proudly or tied them around their necks like capes.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 never been something that I even thought IB次元官网网址檇 be able to do,B次元官网网址� Weidemann said on the flag-bearer honours. B次元官网网址淭hese Games have been so, so incredible. And I feel like every day, weB次元官网网址檙e piling on more and more and I havenB次元官网网址檛 quite processed it all. IB次元官网网址檓 having a lack of words and a lack of emotions and I have no tears left, IB次元官网网址檝e cried at every event now.
B次元官网网址淚 really look forward to kind of being able to go home and reflect on everything thatB次元官网网址檚 happened.B次元官网网址�
It was an otherwise quiet final day for Canada.
Cendrine Browne of St-Jerome, Que., finished 16th in the womenB次元官网网址檚 cross-country 30-kilometre mass start, the countryB次元官网网址檚 second-best performance in the event.
The 28-year-old was one position away from tying Canadian record holder Sara Renner, who finished 15th in the mass start at the Vancouver Games in 2010.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my best performance ever and one of the best Canadian results. IB次元官网网址檓 speechless,B次元官网网址� said Browne.
Her teammate Katherine Stewart-Jones from Chelsea, Que., achieved what is now tied for the third-best Canadian result, coming in 30th.
Dahria Beatty of Whitehorse finished 39th. Laura Leclair of Chelsea was 51st.
Earlier at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre, the Canadian ski team failed to challenge for a medal in the mixed team parallel event.
Erin Mielzynski of Collingwood, Ont., Erik Read of Canmore, Alta., Cassidy Gray of Invermere, B.C., and CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Trevor Philp lost to Slovakia in the 1/8 final.
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