Tessa Virtue doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel the same sense of exhilaration or rush of adrenaline as she did standing at centre-ice after a gold-medal performance.
At least not on that scale or of that magnitude. And thatB次元官网网址檚 okay.
B次元官网网址淭here are so many things that are making me really content and joyful that were just impossible to experience as an athlete in training,B次元官网网址� Virtue said. B次元官网网址淪o, thereB次元官网网址檚 sort of something offsetting that where I might not be getting that adrenaline rush, thereB次元官网网址檚 so much that I feel passionate about and new goals that IB次元官网网址檓 striving for - which is both scary and exhilarating.B次元官网网址�
Virtue and Scott Moir were among the 114 athletes, artists, scholars and community leaders named to the Order of Canada on Friday. TheyB次元官网网址檙e the most decorated ice dancers in history, capturing five Olympic medals, including a pair of ice dance gold in 2010 and 2018.
Feeling all wrapped up in emotion ...
B次元官网网址� Tessa Virtue (@tessavirtue)
Upon learning about being invested into the Order of Canada, I couldnB次元官网网址檛 help but think that as a kid, I would have never known to dream so big.
I am humbled by this honour! 馃嚚馃嚘
Virtue is swamped with school work these days as part of Queens UniversityB次元官网网址檚 Executive MBA program - one of the new pursuits thatB次元官网网址檚 pushed her out of her comfort zone.
SheB次元官网网址檚 typed out frantic text messages to retired Paralympic swimmer Ben Huot - who graduated from QueensB次元官网网址� EMBA program - saying, B次元官网网址淗ave I made a mistake? What am I doing?B次元官网网址� she laughed. B次元官网网址�(Huot) been so wonderfully supportive.
B次元官网网址淏ut I am so happy I did it. And itB次元官网网址檚 an extraordinary cohort, everyone is so impressive and has accomplished such wonderful things and in such diverse spheres, and so the conversations are so exhilarating, and especially right now, IB次元官网网址檓 so grateful to have the chance to sort of expand my mind.B次元官网网址�
Virtue spent the first few months of the pandemic living in North Vancouver with boyfriend and Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. The power couple joined Arkells frontman on an Instagram live stream back in March. They appeared virtually on the Great Kitchen Party: Home Edition a month later.
The couple is back living in Toronto now, and recently purchased a puppy they named Zoe.
Virtue and MoirB次元官网网址檚 captivating free dance to music from B次元官网网址淢oulin RougeB次元官网网址� in Pyeongchang will endure as one of the greatest Olympic figure skating performances ever. Just one of the numerous YouTube streams has over 1.3 million views.
But Virtue has barely watched it.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen parts of it here and there. And I love the feeling that it evokes in me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 still so proud of that moment of course. But I canB次元官网网址檛 decide if it feels like it was yesterday or honestly if I feel just a few lifetimes away from it. So, itB次元官网网址檚 like that disconnect, right, where I kind of hold onto the feeling that we had when the program ended.
B次元官网网址淎nd when we reflect together, so much of our sporting life just seems so fresh that IB次元官网网址檓 sure there hasnB次元官网网址檛 been enough time for perspective, right?B次元官网网址�
Virtue and Moir, from Ilderton, Ont., competed for two decades. Earning Order of Canada honours, she said, was an honour that had her reflecting on their early days.
B次元官网网址淭his is not something we would have ever known to even dream for. We werenB次元官网网址檛 seven and nine (years old) cruising around the ice together talking about this, it seemed unfathomable,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd yet, we watched so many of our friends and peers along the way receive this incredible honour. I just feel humbled, and just so, so honoured.B次元官网网址�
Virtue talked by telephone Sunday before appearing virtually on Hayley WickenheiserB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淲ickFest: Female Hockey Festival,B次元官网网址� calling a few minutes early to ensure she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have to duck out too soon.
Olympic athletes, both active and retired, have been front and centre in the battle against the global pandemic. Wickenheiser, of course, teamed up with actor Ryan Reynolds and others for B次元官网网址淐onquer COVID-19,B次元官网网址� an initiative that delivered much-needed personal protective equipment to hospitals. Numerous other athletes have hosted virtual practices, information sessions, etc. for Canadian kids.
B次元官网网址淚t can be underestimated, I guess, what that kind of mentorship or connection with an athlete does,B次元官网网址� Virtue said. B次元官网网址淚 think about those kids watching the next Olympics and how invested theyB次元官网网址檒l be and itB次元官网网址檚 pretty neat to share that.B次元官网网址�
The international figure skating schedule has been a bust since last March when COVID-19 forced cancellation of the world championships in Montreal.
Keegan Messing is the only Canadian to have competed so far this season (Skate America). Skate Canada International was scrapped, and if Stockholm, Sweden does manage to host the world championships in March - organizers want to host it in a B次元官网网址渂ubbleB次元官网网址� - thereB次元官网网址檚 no guarantee Canada will even go because of lack of preparation, quarantine restrictions, etc.
B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 a caveat to everything in that it offers great perspective. You realize just how seemingly insignificant ice dance can be or skating,B次元官网网址� Virtue said. B次元官网网址淏ut at the same time, in their relative spheres, and as far as their goals and pursuits go, itB次元官网网址檚 huge to miss out on one competition, let alone a season.
B次元官网网址淚 think just changing that benchmark of knowing when to prepare for something, how a peak, how to maximize your time, the unknown, the uncertainty, like so many people are facing, must be really challenging. And my heart goes out to (the skaters).B次元官网网址�
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
