A close-to-perfection run by American Hannah Kearney prevented defending gold-medallist Heil to repeat her feat. The Edmonton-born also missed the chance of becoming the first Canadian to win a gold medal on home soil.
“I did what I wanted to do and I’m really proud. I felt like I was standing on the shoulders of so many Canadians. I felt like I had their wings on my back. This is Canada’s medal,” said Heil.
“That Gold medal is coming soon,” she added.
Did the Montreal-based freestyle skier feel she let slip the Gold medal?
“No, I really feel like I won the Silver today,” she answered.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper reacted on Heil’s statement regarding her pride to be Canadian.
“I appreciate that. You made us all very proud today,” declared Harper.
Heil’s best effort
It’s hard to imagine a better effort by Jennifer Heil.
The skier’s turning form was tight from the top and continued through a well-executed helicopter. Through the middle her speed was not everything it could be, but the cleanliness of her turns and the amplitude of her air were enough to put her atop the standings with a score of 25.63 with one racer left to run.
It was left to Kearney to decide. The racer who struggled with pressure at the Torino Games proved her mental and physical prowess today, ripping idyllic turns through the middle section at a speed no other racer attained through the day. She finished with a massive helicopter at the bottom jump, putting the final seal on a run that clearly defined her as the Olympic champion. Kearney finished with a impressive score of 26.63 – almost a full point ahead of Heil.
A solid performance from Chloé Dufour-Lapointe was also a bright spot for Canada. The 18-year-old skier finished fifth with 24.68 points.
