TORONTO (CP) _ Olympic curling champion Brad Gushue arrived home
Monday to a hero's welcome.
``It's been a long trip, we've been away from home for a month,''
the Newfoundland skip told reporters after flying from Turin to
Toronto. ``It's nice to get back in Canada and hopefully start
eating some good Canadian food.''
Gushue's next stop was St. John's, N.L.
``I think this (reception) is maybe one of 100 we're going to get
(in St. John's),'' he ...
By Judy Monchuk
CALGARY (CP) _ Olympic gold medallist Duff Gibson's plane was
escorted back to the boarding gate by three crash rescue firetrucks
flashing their lights on his welcome home Monday.
``All I could think was `Those are my guys,' '' said the
39-year-old skeleton champion, a Calgary firefighter whose station
is based at the city's international airport. ``I was afraid that I
was going to be a blubbering idiot, but so far I'm good.''
More than ...
By Jim Litke
SESTRIERE, Italy (AP) _ Here's a toast to all those Olympians who
didn't start celebrating until they won something.
Hoist a cold one for Fabris and Klassen and Ahn and Raich, and
maybe a few for those wacky Kostelic kids, the brother-sister act on
skis from Croatia that won more medals than some nations.
These were Games when speaking English meant missing some of the
best parties, unless your name was Bode Miller, but ...
Dear Italian friends,
Well done and thank you!
Dear organizing committee friends and partners, you have
succeeded brilliantly in meeting your challenge. These were truly
magnificent games. We say a heartfelt thank you to Italy, Piedmont
and Turin!
Dear volunteers, you, like the athletes, have been the champions
of these games. Your generosity and smiles have won us over. You
have been marvelous.
These Games have been held in the spirit of the Olympic Truce,
with the peace and harmony ...
TURIN, Italy (AP) _ In a startling security breach, an intruder
got on stage during Sunday's closing ceremony of the Turin Olympics.
The man approached the microphone during a speech by organizing
committee chief Valentino Castellani and shouted, ``Passion lives in
Torino,'' the slogan of the games.
The man, identified by police as Spanish, was then whisked away
by security officers and taken into custody for questioning.
Castellani didn't seem fazed by the incident and continued his
speech ...
By Gregory Strong
TURIN, Italy (CP) _ It's a virtual lock.
Winnipeg long-track speedskater Cindy Klassen is expected to be
named Canada's flagbearer for the closing ceremonies at the Turin
Winter Olympics. The Canadian Olympic Committee will make the
announcement Sunday at its wrapup news conference.
While there are several excellent candidates, selecting Klassen
seems to be a no-brainer. She has already won a record four medals
and has a shot to add another. A wide grin spread ...
CESANA, Italy (AP) _ Anna Carin Olofsson of Sweden took advantage
of a week-long rest and a mid-race cushion to win gold Saturday in
the 12.5-kilometre mass start, biathlon's premier event.
Olofsson, in her first Olympics as a biathlete after competing in
cross-country skiing at Salt Lake City, finished 18.8 seconds ahead
of Kati Wilhelm and 41.9 in front of Uschi Disl, both of Germany.
There were no Canadians in the event.
Olofsson added to her silver ...
VIENNA, Austria (AP) _ A lawyer for Austrian ski coach Walter
Mayer has said he may sue IOC president Jacques Rogge over a
doping-related comment, Austrian media reported Saturday.
Herwig Hasslacher said he would sue Rogge on Mayer's behalf if he
did not retract a comment he made publicly last week in which he
said Mayer ``organized'' doping, the Austrian broadcaster ORF
reported on its website.
Hasslacher was not immediately available for comment Saturday.
Hasslacher said Rogge's comments ...
By Jim Armstrong
PRAGELATO, Italy (AP) _ This was Julija Tchepalova's race to win.
The women above and below her in the World Cup standings were
out: Leader Marit Bjorgen of Norway skipped the event because of
illness, while Beckie Scott of Vermilion, Alta., chose to turn her
attention to the overall World Cup title in her final season on the
circuit.
Tchepalova finished second in Friday's 30km skate, the final
women's cross-country race of the Turin Games.
Katerina ...
TURIN, Italy (AP) _ Speedskater Joey Cheek was elected by the
U.S. team to carry the American flag during the closing ceremony of
the Winter Olympics on Sunday night.
Cheek has won two medals at the Turin Games _ gold in the 500
metres and silver in the 1,000.
``I feel like I'm not really worthy,'' he said. ``It's a
wonderful honour and I'm thrilled that it happened.''
Canadian singer Avril Lavigne will perform in an eight-minute
production ...
