No podium? No problem
Posted Feb 23, 2010 11:56:19 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Canadian Olympic Committee is defending its ambitious goal to “Own the Podium” at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Despite not placing at the top of the medal standings, Committee CEO Chris Rudge says the program sent a clear message to Canadian athletes that a standard of excellence was being sent. He acknowledges that the goal may have seemed immodest to some but Rudge makes no apologies for that.
He tells 570’s Jeff Allan Show that these have still been a remarkably successful Games for Canadian athletes. He points to the men’s cross-country ski team that posted record results despite missing the podium. He also says our ratio of gold medals at the Games to date is higher than normal. Rudge says that never would have happened were it not for the “Own the Podium” program.
Rudge dismisses claims that Canadian athletes buckled under the added pressure but admits that nobody could have anticipated the size and energy of the crowds. To that end, Rudge speaks of the “unprecedented engagement” of the nation in these games and uses that to defend the 66-million taxpayer dollars that were invested in these Olympics. Rudge says if you break that down further it only amounts to about $1.50 per Canadian. He’s also predicting a strong finish for Canadian athletes, whom he predicts will pick up a “bundle of medals” in the final five days of competition.
