Early Tuesday morning, friends, family and strangers were on hand to greet the returning Olympians, including Penny Oleksiak and Rosie MacLennan, as their plane touched down at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
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“The best athletes from Canada and around the world inspired us day after day in Rio and it was our privilege to share these moments of triumph and heartbreak with so many Canadians”, said CBC Sports executive director Greg Stremlaw. The pair said they are looking forward to figuring out where to display the midfielders bronze medal.
Lawrences teammate Jessie Fleming said she was proud of their performance.
“It will be a little bit of mayhem because we’re a small town inside of a big city”, Carlo said of Oleksiak’s return.
Oleksiak joins 21-year-old triple-medal sprinter Andre De Grasse of Markham, Ont., the first Canadian to win three sprint medals at a single Games, as Canada’s athletes to watch heading into Tokyo in 2020.
“As the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics draw to a close, I would like to thank all athletes from around the world for making these such exciting games”.
“It’s a chance to share the experience with the people who supported us along the way”, she said.
It’s hard to tell whether Penny Oleksiak’s neighbours in the Beach cheered harder during her races than they will for her return.
Carlo says theyre planning on having live music, and shes hoping people will bring home-made signs and wear red and white.
Teenage soccer fans Claire and Gillian Kilgour found out about the Olympic homecoming at midnight and got up at 4 a.m.to come to the airport with their father.
Penny Oleksiak led Canada to the podium four times at the Rio Olympics.
We dont have a favourite player, Gillian Kilgour said.
At Montreal’s Trudeau Airport, several of Canada’s female medallists arrived home to a warm welcome.
The Canadian medal haul is impressive, 22 in all, the most ever in a non-boycotted Olympics and more golds than any Games since 1992 in Barcelona, a total that exceeded the more optimistic of predictions.
Oleksiak is faring well in her mission to be the very best; she won so many medals she’s keeping them in her socks so they don’t get tangled.
That sentiment was echoed by team pursuit cycling bronze medalist Kirsti Lay, who also flew into Montreal.
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Women athletes participating in the Summer Games this year outnumbered the men (all team sport participants included).
