Bonjour à tous.
un petit mot de ma part et je suis désolé de dire que notre traducteur est en vacances. Mon français amélioré au cours du dernier mois, mais malheureusement pas assez pour écrire mon message en français. s’il vous plaît prétexte que c’est en anglais seulement.

So… got your laundry done?  Or still staring at the pile? After some epic days in February I’m sure some of you were hoping for calm and quiet in March- so many years turning your body into a machine and then, as if it were the next event- you wrecked ‘em!!!  Good work!

Some of you are still mid season and trying to refocus and …. Breathe and compete.  That must be nice; something clear to focus on.  Use it as a great way to decompress and give balance.  Give it 100% of what you’ve got – whatever that may be – attack and be proud.

Some of you have returned home to a spotlight that has almost more pressure than the one you left.  January questions were all about sport and performance – you trained for sport and could answer with details and techniques.  March questions are emotional …almost not even questions, they are affirmations and eagerness. Be generous as people ask you the same questions over and over. They are excited and proud and you may be the first and only Olympian they have ever, or will ever meet.  Give each answer, (and it may be the same answer over and over again) some freshness.

At some point, quickly for some, and in the far distance for others it will get quiet.  The buzz will be gone and it will seem almost dark. This, like the fears and doubts before the Games is normal. A sadness always comes after a Games; like a crashing from a sugar rush… talk to people. Reach out. Remember what was important – not the spot light, but the sport.  The “MORE” that was important was what you could GIVE and what you could DO. The “MORE” that you got was/is just a nice perk.

I’ll close off by saying THANK YOU. Thank you for letting me be part of this last year.  I’ve heard from many of you that you’ve read my messages and that some of them started conversations; with team mates, with coaches, with yourselves- and even, now and then…with me!  I couldn’t have asked for more.  From January 1 2009, through the Olympic Excellence Series and into both Olympic Villages, you let me feel welcome into your space and it was a privilege.  I cannot tell you how proud I was of you – as you lived as Team mates, as you performed your sports, and as you became friends to each other.

These Games are over but the bond will forever be there.  If you ever need something – I’ll always be in your corner; please call.

Marnie

ps

You really are – Resilient

You really are – United

You really are-  Confident and Passionate and

for whatever comes next…. You are ready

How your TEAM did….

• 42% of you went home with a medal.  Which means the COC is paying you $1.7 million in bonuses WOW!!   (note- this is not from tax dollars, but COC funds)
• There were break through results in Biathlon, Cross Country and Luge
• Clara Hughes (speed skating) won her sixth career medal (bronze),tying Cindy Klassen for the most all-time by a Canadian
                     François-Louis Tremblay (short track) captured his fourth and fifth career medals, putting him second all-time
• 4 Hockey players won their 4^th medal from consecutive Games, Jen Botterill, Becky Kellar, Jayna Hefford, and Hayley Wickenheiser and now have 3 Gold and 1 Silver medal

You had 14 more top 8s than last year’s worlds (58 vs. 72). At these Games USA had 70 Top 8s, and Ger 63.