Canadian Olympic Committee – PYEONGCHANG (February 9, 2018) – Here is what you need to know about Team Canada at the end of Day 0 at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018:

RESULTS: Team Canada’s competition results

COMPETITION SCHEDULE: Team Canada Day-By-Day at PyeongChang 2018

DOWNLOAD: High resolution photos from the Opening Ceremony for editorial use

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FLASH QUOTES:

Patrick CHAN

On the start of his third Olympic Winter Games:

“I felt really very much in control of my thoughts and how my body felt. It’s been four years since I’ve been here. I am the type of skater that takes time, since I’ve gotten older, to warm up and to get up to the quads and get comfortable in competition. This is a long two weeks and I am not going to look back too much and it’s a good opportunity to get the early jitters out.”

What it would mean to win Team Event gold:

“I think it would mean a lot to me to see my teammates around me, seeing them at the top of their lives and that feeling of being Olympic champions.That is going to be the greatest satisfaction in everything. This is why this is a team event. Some of us are going to make mistakes. We’ve got it started and I’m looking forward to it.”

On his short programme:

“Obviously, I am not super happy with the skate. I am going to be here a while and there are a lot of programmes to be competed. It’s not the best start I wanted, but I have the support of my teammates. They make me feel so much better even when it’s not the best skate, they are holding me up and making me feel like I belong here. That’s the best thing about the team event.”

Mikaël KINGSBURY 

On his compatriot Alexandre BILODEAU winning gold in the event at the Vancouver 2010 Games:

“I was at the bar in the crowd, cheering. It was so inspiring to see a guy that I’d known since I was eight years old winning a gold. It made me want to go to the Olympics even more. I wanted to be in that position and I ended up in that position in Sochi. You know, your first Olympic Games is always stressful. This is my second and it’s so different. It’s good to have a bit of experience.”

On taking advice from BILODEAU:

“We chat a little bit. He sent me a text on New Year’s, but he’s been a big inspiration since I was young and he’s one of the reasons I’m doing it right now. I train with him a lot in the gym and ski against him. We always try to push each other.”

On the Canada team’s spirit:

“I’ve been winning a lot and every win this year has felt special. The guys are skiing very strong and I need to be at my best to beat them any day.

“It’s always fun to win and celebrate with my teammates. I have the best teammates in the world. They push me every day and I room with them. They’re always there. If I do well, or not well, and if they do well, we will always be there together to celebrate and party. In the tough moments we’re close together and we try to help each other.”

On watching Philippe MARQUIS (CAN) coming back from a serious knee injury:

“Oh my God, I think I was more nervous watching him than I actually was for my run.

“Phil is one of the toughest men I know and his attitude this week has been amazing. You couldn’t tell that this guy was missing an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).

“This was his first run, top to bottom. And of course it’s not easy on the body, so I’m just proud he made it down. It’s not easy to go down that course without an ACL.”

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NEXT DAY MEDIA AVAILABILITIES:

February 10, 2018

What: Hockey – Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team Press Conference
Attaché: Mark Halliday (mhalliday@hockeycanada.ca)
Where: Gangneung Olympic Village – Press Conference Room
When: 11:30 KST
Who: Sean Burke (General Manager), Willie Desjardins (Head Coach), Chris Kelly (Captain), Derek Roy (Assistant Captain)

Please refer to the calendar for post-training and/or post-event availabilities.

*Media availabilities are subject to change

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Josh Su, MPC & Media Relations Officer
Canadian Olympic Committee
Cell: +82-10-7240-8075
Email: jsu@olympic.ca

Photi Sotiropoulos, Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
Cell: +82-10-7343-8075
Email: psotiropoulos@olympic.ca