NBers shine at Olympics
Published Saturday August 9th, 2008
Centre stage or behind the scenes, N.B. flavour is prominent in Beijing
As New Brunswick's Olympians begin competing today in Beijing, no one will be cheering them on more loudly than their close friends and family back home.
"We'll gather a few of the family together to watch," says Ronald Cormier, father of standout Team Canada pitcher Rhéal Cormier, of Cap-Pelé.
This will be Rhéal's second Olympics, coming at the twilight of his career, and the 41-year-old is anxious to go out on a high. His first appearance at an Olympics was 20 years ago in Seoul, Korea, a team his brother Donald almost made as well, which would have been extra special.
No matter, the Cormier clan will be gathered in front of their televisions as early as tomorrow, when Canada plays its first exhibition game for which Cormier has been told to be ready to pitch, though it's unlikely the game will be broadcast in full but is more likely to be part of a highlights package, if that. The team's first real action is Tuesday against powerhouse host team China.
"Rhéal has already called us a few times to say it's very warm there, that his shirt was actually dripping," Ron reports. "And there's lots of pollution. The air is quite different. But he says the experience so far is quite unique."
New Brunswick can boast six Olympians this year. Besides Cormier, we'll be cheering for Campbellton-born Frederic Niemeyer in doubles tennis; Fredericton's Jane Rumball in rowing; Harvey Station cycling dynamo Catharine Pendrel; and husband and wife wheelchair basketball veterans Dave Durepos and Sabrina Pettinicchi.
When Niemeyer teams up later today with Daniel Nestor in men's doubles, his uncle and aunt Wilfred and Veronique Pelletier of Moncton will no doubt be close to their television set, though they couldn't be contacted yesterday. So will uncle Jean Legresley of Kedgwick.
"I have to work and so it's hard to make the time to watch TV," Legresley says.
"But it's pretty exciting. The family will all be watching on their own televisions because the whole family is spread all over, in Montreal, all over Quebec, all over New Brunswick."
Legresley expects his nephew to give a good accounting of himself.
"I think they're a good team together," he says of Niemeyer and Nestor, who is the top Canadian doubles player and one of the best in the world.Other New Brunswickers will also make their mark on this year's games, even if they aren't competing.
Two-time swimming medallist Marianne Limpert will be CBC TV's swimming analyst at these games on the national network's Olympic Morning program, interviewing swimmers immediately after they compete, alongside veteran broadcaster Scott Oake.
Another New Brunswicker turning in their maple leaf for a microphone is Rothesay rower and former journalist Ed Winchester, who will be covering rowing for American television network NBC as their lead analyst.
Winchester was an alternate for the Canadian men's lightweight squad at the Sydney Olympics and worked for The Rowing News magazine at the Athens games.
New Brunswickers will leave their marks behind the scenes in Beijing, too.
Balmoral multiple-champion fencer Carson Marcoux is one of only two Canadians invited to the Beijing Olympic Youth Camp, which brings together young people from around the planet in the spirit of friendship to learn more about the Olympic experience and about the host country, China.
And when the high and mighty in the world of the Olympics sit down to eat, none other than Fredericton native Joe Ennis will be feeding and watering them. Ennis, who owns and operates Fiddlehead Joe's, one of Vancouver's trendiest upscale restaurants, has been named director of food and beverages for the International Olympic Committee in Beijing, meaning he will be responsible for the wining and dining of the top IOC officials at their very exclusive digs in Beijing, where everyone from A-list Hollywood stars to royalty will eat and relax between engagements.
More The News
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
Comments (2)
All comments are subject to the site Terms of Use. For a full commenting tutorial click here.
Our editorial team relies on filtering technology and our visitor community to identify inappropriate comments. In the event that a site user has submitted offensive content that has evaded our filter, please select the option to Flag As Inappropriate presented within the comment. Thank you for helping to keep this site clean.