Olympics picture over her bed force that drove Kirsten

By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun
 SYDNEY - For four years Kirsten Normand had the picture in her room.

 '`It's a picture of the Sydney Opera House with all the water around it and the harbour and everything. It's been up on the wall over my bed just above my head,'' she said.

 '`Every time I'd look at it it would remind me of where I was going.''

 Now that she's here, now that she's an actual on-the-property-about-to-march-in-the-opening-ceremonies Olympian, it's becoming a picture-perfect experience.

 Four years ago Edmonton's Normand was cut from the Canadian Olympic synchronized swim team, a team which trained for the Atlanta Olympics in her home town.

 She was the local girl. She trained all year with the team. And then she didn't get to pass go, collect her Olympic uniform or win a silver medal.

 LOTS OF HARD WORK

 Now she's back as captain of the Canadian team and working as hard out of the water as in it to lead the Canadian team back to prominence in a sport which we used to own but clearly don't anymore.

 '`She's a special athlete,'' says Canadian coach Sheilagh Croxon. ``She missed the cut in '96 and that just made her want it more. She has great leadership skills. She could be the head of a business. She has a great feel for people. And she's not the least bit self-centred. She has great communication with her teammates and coaches. She has a genuine passion for what she's doing that's not just obvious but natural and contagious.''

 While it doesn't look like Canada's synchro girls are going to be golden girls, Normand is convinced they can still medal.

 INCREDIBLE HONOUR

 And she's taking her captains duties seriously here.

 'It's an incredible honour, mainly because the team is such an incredible team,'' she says. ``The amount of character on this team is huge. I'm so proud to be part of that. This is the most friendly unified team we could possibly have. I think we're going to represent our country well.''

 The Edmonton Auroras' club swimmer who won gold for Canada against the Americans at the Pan-Am Games last summer in Winnipeg and bronze at the world championships, says those two results will go a long way to bringing Canada back after a serious prattfall following the Atlanta Olympics.

 '`The World Cup bronze was a boost for the entire Canadian team,'' she said.

 '`It was a better performance than at the Pan-Am Games, particularly in terms of techniques. Our goal was to beat the Americans again and get on the podium and we did that.''

 Parents Louis and Marg Normand and sisters Chantel and Michelle are going to be here to share this Olympic experience with her.