Grondin, O'Dine among 13 snowboarders named to Canada's Olympic team
Olympic medallists Éliot Grondin and Meryeta O'Dine headline Canada's snowboard cross team for the Milano-Cortina Games.Canada Snowboard and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced the 13 snowboard cross, half pipe and parallel giant slalom athletes heading to the Games in a joint news release Thursday.Grondin, the reigning men's snowboard cross world champion and two-time World Cup Crystal Globe winner as season champion from Sainte-Marie, Que., won silver in the event at the 2022 Beijing Games, while O'Dine, from Prince George, B.C., won bronze in the women's event. The two then teamed up to win bronze in the mixed team event."I am honoured to be named to the Canadian team for the third time in my career," Grondin said in a news release. "It is always a privilege to wear Canada's colours at the Olympic Games when all eyes are on us."I am confident in my ability to perform well at these Games, but my primary goal is to enjoy the moment and have fun on each of my runs. I know that if I do that, I have a good chance of winning a medal." Liam Moffat of Truro, N.S., Evan Bichon of Mackenzie, B.C., Tess Critchlow of Kelowna, B.C., and Audrey McManiman of Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare, Que., join Grondin and O'Dine in snowboard cross. WATCH | Grondin nabs 1st medal of the World Cup season :It was a silver medal for Éliot Grondin of Sainte-Marie, Que. Saturday at the World Cup snowboard cross races in Dongbeiya, China.Elizabeth Hosking leads three women in snowboard halfpipe. She won a world championship silver medal in 2023 and won a World Cup gold medal in Calgary earlier this month.Hosking, from Longueuil, Que., is joined by Brooke D'Hondt and Felicity Geremia, both from Calgary. Kaylie Buck of Oakville, Ont., Arnaud Gaudet of Montcalm, Que., Toronto's Ben Heldman and Aurelie Moisan of Baie-D'Urfe, Que., represent Canada in parallel giant slalom. Canada's snowboard slopestyle and big air teams were announced last week.The parallel giant slalom event will take place Feb. 8 (Day 2), while snowboard halfpipe will begin on Feb. 11 (Day 5) with qualification, and the women's final on Feb. 12 (Day 6).The individual snowboard cross events will happen on Feb. 12 and 13 (Days 6 and 7), with the mixed team event on Feb. 15 (Day 9).Snowboard events will take place at the Livigno Snow Park.Runnalls leads biathlon team Seven of eight athletes on Canada's biathlon team will make their Olympic debuts at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games.The athletes announced Thursday by Biathlon Canada will race Feb. 8-21 at the Ansterselva Biathlon Arena, 65 kilometres north of Cortina near the Austrian border.Calgary's Adam Runnalls is the lone biathlete on the team with previous Olympic experience having represented Canada in Beijing in 2022.Ottawa's Zachary Connelly, Regina's Logan Pletz, Calgary's Pascale Paradis, Jasper Fleming of Squamish, B.C., Nadia Moser of Whitehorse, Benita Peiffer of Whistler, B.C. and Shilo Rousseau of Thessalon, Ont., round out the Canadian squad.Canada has won three Olympic biathlon medals, all by Myriam Bedard in 1992 and 1994.Men's biathlon has been part of the Olympic program since Squaw Valley 1960, while women's biathlon made its debut at Albertville 1992.Runnalls contributed to a men's relay team that finished sixth in 2022 for the country's best result in the event."Being named a two-time Olympic team member is a powerful reminder of the commitment and consistency it takes to compete at the highest level of my sport," Runnalls said Thursday in a statement.'Can't wait to give it everything I have'"The race venue is a place where I've achieved all of my personal bests, which gives me a lot of confidence. I've been building toward this Olympics my entire career, and I can't wait to give it everything I have."The 27-year-old has twice finished in the top 20 in individual races at the Olympic venue during his career.A broken ankle prevented Moser from competing in the 2022 Olympic Games.Paradis raced in her first world championship last year and contributed to a pair of top-10 results by the women's relay on the World Cup circuit last season.The team will be coached by Andrew Chisolm and Helene Jorgensen and supported by five wax technicians."Biathlon is one of the purest tests of mind-body connection in sport — pushing all-out endurance, then demanding total calm and precision on the range," said Canada's chef de mission Jenn Heil."With seven first-time Olympic team members and veteran Adam leading the team, it's going to be a special Olympic experience in Anterselva, where biathlon is truly beloved."
