Olympians get star treatment at Calgary Stampeders football game
Two of Canada's long-distance Olympic runners were invited to the Calgary Stampeders football game on Sunday after racing in Rio.
Sub us in, coach.
Jessica O’Connell and Maria Bernard were among the Canadian Olympians hosted at a Canadian Football League (CFL) game on Sunday. The two distance runners were joined by Olympic gold medallist Erica Wiebe and three other athletes who represented Canada at the Rio Olympics.
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The two Calgary-based runners were brought to the field before Sunday’s professional football game between the local Calgary Stampeders and the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The CFL is the highest level of gridiron football in Canada. The game was held at McMahon Stadium, located between the downtown core and the University of Calgary.
Thank you to the @calstampeders for hosting some of our @TeamCanada Olympians! #GoStamps pic.twitter.com/YUIaq2ZwYU
— CDN Sport Institute (@CSICalgary) August 29, 2016
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The Hudson’s Bay gear that Olympians wore outside of competition at the Olympics matched well with the red and black uniforms of the Stampeders. The Olympic runners got to see a hometown victory as Calgary defeated Hamilton 30-24.
Before the game, the small group of athletes got the chance to throw around the football on the field, grab some selfies and snap a group photo with the team’s cheerleaders.
Stadium selfie! Thanks @calstampeders and congrats on the win! #teamcanada pic.twitter.com/DaWNgwp8Gi
— Jessica O'Connell (@jess__oconnell) August 29, 2016
O’Connell represented Canada at the Olympics in the women’s 5,000m. The 27-year-old finished 26th overall and did not advance out of the heats.
Bernard, 23, was one of three Canadians to run in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase and finished 42nd overall and too did not qualify out of the heats. Fellow Canadian Geneviève Lalonde set the national record and advanced to the finals by virtue of running 9:30.24.
Canada came away with six medals at the Rio Olympics, the nation’s highest count since the 1932 Games.
Thanks for having us at the game today @calstampeders ! #Stamps #CFLGameDay #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/JtVXTVQip1
— Maria Bernard (@maria_bernard) August 29, 2016
McMahon Stadium was the venue for the opening and closing ceremony at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
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