Melissa Bishop returns home to hero’s welcome, parade in Eganville, Ont.
Two-time Olympian Melissa Bishop returned home to Eganville, Ont. on Saturday and was welcomed with a parade on "Melissa Bishop Day."
The small Ontario town of Eganville welcomed home its most decorated athlete on Saturday.
Melissa Bishop, the fourth-place finisher in the women’s 800m at the Rio Olympics, returned home after a lengthy summer to a parade to celebrate her accomplishments. Her 800m run in Rio is considered one of the highlights of the Games as the Canadian set a new national record in one of track and field’s deepest events. She missed the podium by 0.13 seconds running 1:57.02.
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Bonnechere Valley Township declared Sept. 10 as Melissa Bishop Day in Eganville. Bishop was in Europe racing between the end of the Olympics in August and returning home to Renfrew County.
The town of 3,700 showed how much Bishop means to the community by lining the streets. Others decorated their vehicles – tractors, trucks, antique cars, ATVs, horses, buses and tractor trailers – with Canada flags and Bishop race photos to show their support. It’s believed that more than 300 vehicles and floats took part in the parade.
Organizer Gerald Tracey estimated that between five and eight thousand people were expected to support the Olympian, the largest-ever homecoming parade in the area.
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Signs included “Small town, big dreams,” “Our champion” and “A true inspirational champion to our youth.” There were plenty of others with personalized messages for the 28-year-old Canadian. Bishop won a silver medal at the 2015 world championships and gold at the Pan Am Games the same summer.
Bishop rode on a horse-drawn carriage down the local highway and through the neighbourhoods of Eganville. The 28-year-old trained with the Ottawa Lions before moving to Windsor, Ont. for university. She continues to train in Windsor under longtime coach Dennis Fairall.
#parade fir #melissabishop in #eganville ON pic.twitter.com/ozBP93BeeQ
— Jeff (@hdhntrjeff) September 10, 2016
Many supporters were wearing Bishop’s red apparel with the “MB” design. (See the photo at the top of this page, for example.) The Canadian also went for a run with some local youth hockey players who made sure they had their cell phones out to take selfies.
Ran with Melissa Bishop today ?? #Olympian pic.twitter.com/K3jeUjtmzQ
— Noah Rowland (@NRowland8) September 10, 2016
At the conclusion of the parade, Bishop signed autographs and spoke to local media.
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Bishop is done running for the summer and is planning her wedding with her fiancé. The next major global championships are the 2017 world championships in London. The next cycle of the Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo in 2020.
Photos
I thought that was the real deal from far. Lol @BishopMelissa #eganville pic.twitter.com/rsO764EerB
— Penny Jacko (@PAAJacko) September 10, 2016
Parade watchers Eganville, ON @BishopMelissa #yabish pic.twitter.com/NqGW6JmEBf
— Shelley (@ssypes) September 10, 2016
Ready to go for @BishopMelissa in #eganville! #yabish #ottawavalley pic.twitter.com/KWz7RlqvMz
— Rob Jamieson (@_Hamish) September 10, 2016
This small town has banded together to show Olympian Melissa Bishop how much she means to them pic.twitter.com/2BuoH3z9yX
— Annie BergeronOliver (@AnnieClaireBO) September 10, 2016
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