Recent CBC radio interview with Elvis Stokjo

[NanaPat]

The CBC did a recent radio interview with Elvis Stokjo. It's a good listen and read. The text is not just a transcript of the audio.

link

It addresses the general topic of athletes dealing with disappointment. Elvis contrasts how he felt about his two Olympic silver medals: thrilled at the first (unexpected) one and deeply regretful over the second (when he was expected to take gold).

 

[Cutting the ice]

It was a great interview. Imagine feeling badly because he won Olympic silver (and not gold) despite a very serious groin injury. I remember he couldn’t even leave the ice without assistance. Thank you Elvis for everything you have given and continue to give to this sport.

 

[ladyjane]

I remember it well. It was a strange time with Elvis getting two silvers, people calling it the Canadian curse for not getting gold (Brian Orser also had two Silvers) while Philippe got two bronzes and was pleased with both - but these bronzes were both unexpected as he hadn't been doing so well right before the second Olympics, and Elvis had. But Elvis was in such pain after that FS. I thought it was a miracle he even had been able to skate, and was full of admiration.

 

[4everchan]

I remember it well. It was a strange time with Elvis getting two silvers, people calling it the Canadian curse for not getting gold (Brian Orser also had two Silvers) while Phillippe got two bronzes and was pleased with both - but these bronzes were both unexpected as he hadn't been doing so well right before the second Olympics, and Elvis had. But Elvis was in such pain after that FS. I thought it was a miracle he even had been able to skate, and was full of admiration.

Philippe was never a world champion. That's the difference. The Canadian curse involves men skaters who have been world champions, sometimes multiple times, but never won the Olympics.

Orser, Browning, Stojko, Chan. I won't put Buttle in there because he avoided the curse. He was world champion in 2008 but decided he was done before home games in 2010. Was his body tired ? Was his soul not willing to go through the pressure of home games ? Did he not want his name associated with that curse ? Was he thinking that not having quads was for sure going to keep him away from the podium (well history proved that wrong)? Who knows.. but yeah, at this point, the Canadian curse has shifted to dance Canadian ice dancers can win GPF etc but never worlds... unless you are Virtue and Moir.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Canadian ice dancers can win GPF etc but never worlds... unless you are Virtue and Moir.

It's not over till it's over. Plus, the Canadian team, Bourne/Kraatz, also won Worlds once (2003). Of course, they are not Virtue/Moir, thus more easily forgettable perhaps. And, at least, that so-called 'curse' doesn't affect Canadian pairs teams.

 

[4everchan]

It's not over till it's over. Plus, the Canadian team, Bourne/Kraatz, also won Worlds once (2003). Of course, they are not Virtue/Moir, thus more easily forgettable perhaps. And, at least, that so-called 'curse' doesn't affect Canadian pairs teams.

Bourne and Kraatz are definitely not forgettable... I didn't mention them because the wound is still raw. They were played very dirty at the Olympics and deserved way much more than they ever received.