April 16, 2010 - Glebe Report
April 16, 2010 - Glebe Report
April 16, 2010 - Glebe Report
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36 <strong>Glebe</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>April</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2010</strong><br />
SPORTS<br />
Physiotherapist<br />
at the Vancouver Olympics<br />
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176 Cameron Avenue,<br />
next to Brewer Park<br />
Marjolein in the Richmond Olympic Oval<br />
By Marjolein Groenevelt our sharing the space with the spectators.<br />
I walked into the Richmond Olympic<br />
Oval and stopped in my tracks. In case you were a rookie spectator,<br />
attending your first live speed<br />
It’s stunning and deserves being<br />
called the “Jewel of the Olympics,” skating event, a contingency of<br />
with its soaring roof built of BC pine Dutch fans remained at the ready to<br />
that had been salvaged from forests lead the crowd in correct protocol<br />
destroyed by the invasive pine beetle. and behavior: lots of singing during<br />
It’s also massive.<br />
warm-up, led by a Dutch band which<br />
I was selected by VANOC (Vancouver<br />
Organizing Committee) to be cheering at athlete introductions; and<br />
travels the world with its athletes;<br />
a part of the athlete medical team at sudden, complete silence at the start<br />
the oval, fondly known as the ROO. of each race. Once the start is clean,<br />
As a physiotherapist, I joined other during the race, there is lots of vocal<br />
volunteer therapists, medical doctors, support, that ebbs and flows with<br />
surgeons and paramedics to provide the split times and the length of the<br />
on-site services to the athletes for the course. Christine Nesbitt reported<br />
Vancouver <strong>2010</strong> Winter Games. This after her gold medal race that she<br />
included readiness for on-ice trauma knew from the reaction of the crowd<br />
as well as a full clinic set up downstairs.<br />
As a volunteer, I covered my first place finish.<br />
that she needed to push harder for a<br />
own expenses, including airfare during<br />
my 15-day assignment.<br />
her 1000 metre race, I cheered as<br />
As well as watching Christine win<br />
Most of my time was spent on the Kristina Groves won her silver in the<br />
“field of play.” Most hours spent at 1500 metres. I sure was proud of her!<br />
the ROO were for training rather One of my last shifts at the oval<br />
than competition. During training, took place on the day of the men’s<br />
the oval is quiet and almost serene. 10,000 metre race. I saw Sven<br />
Often countries skate together, but Kramer, the Dutch superstar, skate<br />
quite frequently, different nationalities<br />
join together. To an outsider, new Olympic record, before being<br />
a spectacular race, even setting a<br />
the atmosphere does not reflect the disqualified for a lane error directed<br />
intensity of the skating or the importance<br />
of the event. The athletes are so sad. I was glad to read later that he<br />
by his coach. I felt quite stunned and<br />
efficient in their technique that they will stick with his coach and that he<br />
make it look effortless. Speed skating<br />
generates the fastest human-pow-<br />
through together.<br />
acknowledged what they have been<br />
ered speeds, and skaters reach up to I found the city and people of Vancouver<br />
to be wonderful, gracious<br />
60 km/hour. The ROO, being at sea<br />
level, is not considered as fast a track hosts. Transit was busy but ran very<br />
as the ovals in Calgary or Salt Lake smoothly and, of course, the mild<br />
City.<br />
weather was great if you were out<br />
During competition, we have a different<br />
viewpoint than those watching happy to have participated in this<br />
and about downtown! I came home<br />
on TV. On the field, with the athletes, great celebration of athleticism and<br />
we don’t experience the drama and of our made-in-Canada games. They<br />
anticipation built up by the media. were almost picture perfect in my<br />
We don’t see the close-ups of the view.<br />
athletes’ faces which show their Marjolein Groenevelt owns and<br />
physical and mental effort during the operates <strong>Glebe</strong> Physiotherapy and<br />
races. What we may lose from that Sports Injury Clinic in Fifth Avenue<br />
perspective is more than made up by Court.<br />
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Photo: Gloria Cohen
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