Canada’s Penny Oleksiak, from Toronto, holds up her four medals, a gold, silver and two bronze, she won at the 2016 Summer Olympics during a news conference Sunday, August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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The six-foot, one-inch tall athlete will lead a Canadian contingent that appears is on pace to surpass its goal in Rio of finishing in the top 12 in the overall medal count.
When the flights arrived, the returning athletes were saluted with giant arcs of water on the tarmac.
Friends, family and fans mingled with media, waiting for the athletes to clear customs and pick up their luggage. “There was a time I think there was nine days in a row, where Canadians got medals”. The pair said they are looking forward to figuring out where to display the midfielder’s bronze medal.
“We all had a good tournament and we definitely deserved to bring this home”, Fleming said.
Oleksiak quickly became the first Canadian to win four medals at one summer Olympic Games.
Dressed in a Canada jacket and wearing one of her medals, Oleksiak said she was really excited to be back home.
“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.
You know Canada has your back, she said.
The Beach community in Toronto’s east-end will celebrate Oleksiak at a homecoming parade tentatively scheduled for Sunday.
Carlo says theyre planning on having live music, and shes hoping people will bring home-made signs and wear red and white.
Canada’s women took centre stage in Rio, winning 16 of Canada’s medals.
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.
Canada’s 22 medals placed it 10th in the world for the overall medal count, falling almost 100 medals short of the United States, which took the top spot.
Canada also won 22 medals at the Atlanta Games in 1996, but the composition was quite different: Canada won more gold medals in Rio than in Atlanta, but it didn’t win as many silver medals. We are very proud of all of you.
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Other athletes returning from Rio said they are already thinking about the next competition, including the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
