B次元官网网址淲e did it.B次元官网网址�
Launching himself into the arms of his coach Rob Kober of Penticton, those were the only words Mika毛l Kingsbury remembers saying after winning the Olympic gold medal in menB次元官网网址檚 moguls last Sunday.
B次元官网网址淚 was just so unreal, it seemed to be happening so fast, I just couldnB次元官网网址檛 believe it, it was crazy so much happening all at once,B次元官网网址� said Kingsbury, 25 of Deux-Montagnes, Que. in a telephone interview with the Western B次元官网网址 this week from South Korea where he was competing at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. B次元官网网址淏ut that was one of my favourite moments about winning the gold medal, just to see Rob and my parents at the bottom.
B次元官网网址淚 was chatting with Rob before that run B次元官网网址� we have such a good connection B次元官网网址� and we had a good plan, I just had to execute and I did. He (Kober) just deserves so much credit. WeB次元官网网址檙e so close, heB次元官网网址檚 like a father to me. We donB次元官网网址檛 have to talk, sometimes we just know how each other feels.
B次元官网网址淏ecause of him when I push the start gate I know I have all the tools to win.B次元官网网址�
| Moguls skier Mika毛l Kingsbury on Kristi's Run at Apex during pre-Games training which he says helped him win his gold medal.Mark Brett/Western B次元官网网址 |
B次元官网网址淎fter his last run I was pretty sure he did win,B次元官网网址� said Kober who is now in Alberta with family, watching his daughter Chloe who competes for the B.C. Freestyle team. B次元官网网址淭he first two runs he had mistakes and we knew the last run was the one that counted. I knew if Mik just cleaned it up a little bit he was going to win and I just basically told him that.
B次元官网网址淕oing into that start gate for that last run was super intense but definitely feeling like it was his for the taking. I felt super confident.B次元官网网址�
This is KoberB次元官网网址檚 second gold medal as head coach, Alex Bilodeau won in Sochi in 2014 (Kingsbury won silver) but this one was different.
B次元官网网址淎lex was a great skier and we definitely tried to include him in the team as much as we could but he chose to train privately on his own,B次元官网网址� said Kober. B次元官网网址淥f course because Mik has been with us and developed through the program from his start on the national team to becoming Olympic champion, that has very special meaning for my team, for our program and of course for myself personally.B次元官网网址�
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Kingsbury was just 17 when he got the B次元官网网址渂ig callB次元官网网址� to join the national team. He looks back fondly on the years he and Kober have worked to make the dreams of a nine-year-old boy who had the Olympic rings taped to his bedroom ceiling, come true.
| Olympic gold medalist Mika毛l Kingsbury during a break from training at Apex Mountain Resort just before leaving for South Korea.Mark Brett/Western B次元官网网址 |
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a crazy ride and itB次元官网网址檚 hard to put into words B次元官网网址� this is the best feeling in the world.B次元官网网址�
Kingsbury was also quick to lend his emotional support to his friend and Canadian teammate Andi Naude of Penticton after she fell short of winning her old gold medal on the moguls hill the day before.
Naude was disqualified after going off track on her last run of the womenB次元官网网址檚 moguls super finals. She was in first place heading into her final run.
B次元官网网址淎ndi was the first one I messaged after her event. I just said sheB次元官网网址檚 a great girl and sheB次元官网网址檚 amazing and she won peoples hearts,B次元官网网址� recalled Kingsbury. B次元官网网址淚 said to her you are an awesome human being and no one can take that away from you and thatB次元官网网址檚 better than a medal.B次元官网网址�
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The menB次元官网网址檚 team was not at the mountain for that race.
B次元官网网址淲e all knew that youB次元官网网址檙e either going to be super psyched or super devastated but either way it takes a ton of energy and in the end the boys decided not to go and I decided to stay back in the village with them so we watched it on TV like everybody back home,B次元官网网址� said Kober. B次元官网网址淚 did a couple of days later have a chance to give Andi a hug and tell her how great she is. She seemed to be devastated but was doing as well as possible at the time.
B次元官网网址淚 hope she keeps going because sheB次元官网网址檚 a very bright, very special young lady but sheB次元官网网址檚 going to be feeling the need to get on with things too.B次元官网网址�
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Both menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 skiers were at Apex Mountain Resort for 10 days of training immediately before leaving for South Korea.
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B次元官网网址淭he people at Apex were giving us a a great camp and it was a lot of fun, I was able to do some runs I wanted to do before PyeongChang and that really helped my confidence,B次元官网网址� said Kingsbury. B次元官网网址淭he training course at Apex is amazing and the schedule was perfect and that played a big role for me. Because of that I arrived (in PyeongChang) and I was fresh and I was happy and thatB次元官网网址檚 why I won the gold medal here.B次元官网网址�
Moguls skiers will be back on the FIS World Cup circuit again the first week in March when they travel to Japan then to Europe before closing out the season at Marmot Basin in Jasper, Alta. at the end of March.
Apex is hosting the Canadian Junior Championships featuring moguls, dual moguls and aerial events March 7-11.
