Tuesday, February 12, 2002
'Spoon-full of agony
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
KEARNS, Utah -- There will be no medals on the line, nor will his broken heart be mended.
But shortly after 1 p.m. today, speed skater Jeremy Wotherspoon will cross the finish line at the Utah Olympic Oval a champion.
Having fallen four strides into yesterday's 500-metre race -- a competition he was favoured to win -- the reigning world sprint champion will return to the stage on which he suffered the most disappointing moment of his young life.
The same place he left less than 24 hours earlier with tears in his eyes and a hole in his heart.
As the first step in his effort to pick up the pieces of a shattered Olympic dream, he'll skate today regardless of its hollow impact on the standings.
He made the right decision.
He's not doing this for his critics, his supporters or his stats.
He's doing this for his soul.
He's doing this to prove to no one but himself that although he may be down, he's not out.
As hard as it will be to distance himself from the emotional devastation of yesterday's fall, he'll take to the ice as a shining example of what these Games are truly about.
As Salt Lake Organizing Committee CEO Mitt Romney reminded the world at the opening ceremonies, the true spirit of the Olympics revolves not around winning but in conquering the struggles along the way.
It's quite likely Wotherspoon has never faced the sort of adversity and heartache he dealt with while lying in bed last night, retracing his precious few steps.
However, today he'll do himself and Canada proud by facing the world the best way he knows how.
By skating.
"He's going to come back and do his best and go for a world record," said his coach, Sean Ireland.
"He was frustrated, saddened and disappointed by the fall but I think he wants to come back and show what he can do."
Perhaps Canadians from coast to coast may have already discounted the possibility of tuning in to CBC this afternoon to see what might have been his first gold-medal race.
Instead, they'll plan on watching him skate the 1,000m Saturday where he's an even bigger favourite.
Shame on you.
There's a sense something every bit as powerful as a medal skate will occur today when the pride of Red Deer takes to the ice to a standing ovation.
The people here know how heavy his heart is and how strong his will is.
Skaters, coaches and fans from all over the world are pulling for him to bounce back. And he will.
"Jeremy is one of the toughest men in the world mentally and because of the fact it happened right off the line, he can put it by him," said current 500m leader and Wotherspoon's close friend, Casey FitzRandolph.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he went out and had the fastest time (today)."
Medals be damned for a day -- today's skate will be an Olympic moment to remember.
If you truly are a proud Canadian, you'll watch as he skates for intangibles that can't be measured by gold, silver or bronze.
Today, he'll skate for confidence, for pride.
For Canada.
Critics out there who uttered but the slightest of disparaging words for Wotherspoon ought to remember how brilliantly he has represented our country over the years.
Jeremy Wotherspoon is a great Canadian.
A fighter.
A champion.
He'll prove all that today, medal or not.
2002 Games Columnists
