Kingsbury, Grondin, Sarault Propel Canada to Seventh Medal at Championships
Canada’s achievements soared on Day 6 of the Milan Cortina Olympics, bringing home three more medals to elevate their total count to seven. The day featured impressive performances from Canadian athletes across various disciplines, including snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and short-track speed skating.
Kingsbury, Grondin, and Sarault Lead Canada to Medal Wins
Eliot Grondin Shines in Snowboard Cross
Snowboarder Eliot Grondin delivered an exciting performance, clinching a silver medal in men’s snowboard cross. The athlete from Ste-Marie, Quebec, finished as a close second to Austrian Alessandro Haemmerle, marking Grondin’s third career Olympic medal. He previously secured silver in the same event at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
Grondin expressed his mixed emotions after the race, stating, “I rode as good as I could today. A silver it is, and I can be happy with my week.”
Mikael Kingsbury’s Narrow Escape
In men’s moguls, freestyle skiing sensation Mikael Kingsbury earned a silver medal after a heart-stopping tiebreaker. The 33-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, matched Australia’s Cooper Woods with a score of 83.71, but Kingsbury lost based on turn marks. This marks Kingsbury’s fourth Olympic medal, adding to his previous wins, including gold in Pyeongchang.
Kingsbury reflected on the experience, noting, “I feel amazing. I’m very happy with my skiing.”
Courtney Sarault’s Podium Finish
Canadian short-track speed skater Courtney Sarault added to the medal haul by capturing bronze in the women’s 500 meters. Sarault, a 25-year-old from Moncton, finished with a time of 42.427 seconds, edging out the Netherlands’ Selma Poutsma at the finish line. This medal follows her earlier success in the mixed team relay, where she won silver.
Reflecting on her performance, Sarault remarked, “The fact that in 2023 I was questioning if I was done with this sport, and now I’m on the podium, it’s just crazy.”
Other Highlights for Canada
- In men’s hockey, Canada achieved a commanding 5-0 victory over Czechia, led by goals from Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon.
- The women’s hockey team rebounded with a strong 5-0 win against Finland, featuring two goals from Emily Clark.
- In speed skating, Isabelle Weidemann finished fifth in the 5,000 meters, missing the podium by a narrow margin.
As Day 6 concluded, Canada proudly stood with a medal tally of seven: three silver and four bronze. The achievements symbolize the country’s resilience and dedication across competitive sporting events at the Olympics.
