Jackman-Atkinson: The champion within

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By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson

myWestman.ca

The Olympics are in full swing and armchair athletes in Canada are excitedly following along. Very few of us will represent our country or compete at an elite level. Fewer still will stand on the podium, Olympic medal in hand. Despite that, we should remember that some of the things that have helped our athletes stand upon the podium are applicable to our lives as well.

It is their stories that inspire us. While medal winners are remembered in their sports, it is their stories that make some of them part of the larger Canadian story, that ingrain them into Canadian pop culture. 
These stories help us remember what we should be striving towards. What can help us excel in our lives on a much smaller stage.

Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada’s first gold medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The freestyle skier from Rosemere, Que. isn’t just memorable to Canadians because of his Olympic victory, it’s also due to his family.  Bilodeau has an older brother, Frederic, with Cerebral Palsy. Frederic uses a wheel chair and Alex says his brother inspires him to push his limits.

“Even if it’s raining outside, or minus-40, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God I don’t want to go train today. It wouldn’t be a big difference skipping one day’ But looking at my brother, to be able to give him that chance of being in my body for one day, and going to the Olympics, he would jump in my shoes and go out there and run a marathon. So I’m like ‘OK, let’s stick to the plan, let’s go’,” Bilodeau told the Globe and Mail prior to the Sochi Olympics.

On Monday, Bilodeau defended his status as Olympic champion, once again winning gold.

Few Canadians know mogul skiers; they aren’t in our living rooms regularly like hockey players, curlers or figure skaters.  But we know Alex Bilodeau and it’s because of his personal story; it highlights some of the attributes to which we wish to aspire, to make full use of our talents.

The same can be said about the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, who are also freestyle skiers competing in the moguls event. The three sisters, Justine, Chloe and Maxime made it to the finals last weekend in Sochi. 

Justine took home gold, Chloe took home silver and Maxime finished in 12th place.

Two medals, three sisters and a family full of smiles due to their collective Olympic success.

Their story highlights what is best about sport and offers useful advice for life. Their parents worked hard to keep sibling rivalry in check. They weren’t encouraged to succeed at the expense of each other, but to be stronger together. “We’re sisters forever,” said Justine.

When the final placings were known and the medals awarded, they all hugged, they all cried. They talked about the strength of their family bonds and how they have learned from one another. 

They call themselves, “Les trois soeurs Dufour-Lapointe” or ‘3SDL’ and are best friends. “We always skied together,” Justine was quoted as saying. “Today we are all together at the Olympic Games. This is the most satisfying feeling that we made it together. It’s kind of cool.”

In a world where we are encouraged to build ourselves up by tearing each other down, 3SDL are an important reminder. They are a reminder that, together we are stronger.  We can compete, we can push ourselves and in doing so, push others, but great success comes from working as a team to overcome obstacles.  Not pushing others down so you can climb over them.

People I have known who have competed at an elite level have said that great success came when they worked as a team to be the best they could be, not when they worked as individuals seeking only to do better than someone else. We would do well to remember this.