Alexandre Bilodeau Nically Difficult Jump, and He Beat Begg-Smith Across the Line by More Than Half a Second
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MOGULS hearts Of gOld With the support of his biggest fan, Alexandre Bilodeau nically difficult jump, and he beat Begg-Smith across the line by more than half a second. BY KEN MacQuEEN made Olympic history on Canadian soil Bilodeau shrugged off the comments. “The only thing I control is my own performance. The only thing Dale controls is his own per- ften over the past four years, dur- nessed history: the first Olympic gold medal formance,” he said. “I have faith in the judges ing the hard times and during the won by a Canadian on home soil. Michael and I think Dale does, too.” quiet moments after training, Chambers, outgoing president of the Can- Well, maybe. Begg-Smith stood bitter and Alexandre Bilodeau would ask his adian Olympic Committee, would later liken stone-faced beside an exuberant Bilodeau “big sister” Jennifer Heil what a it to Paul Henderson’s goal that sealed Can- during the flower ceremony on the very gold medal feels like. And the ada’s victory at the 1972 hockey summit with mountain where he learned to ski. “A fascin- woman who won Canada’s first Russia. “Where were you when Alex Bilodeau ating study of opposites,” the Australian O Olympic gold medal at the 2006 Turin Olym- won the first gold medal on Canadian soil?” newspaper the Age called it. pics would say this to her friend and training Chambers said. After his race, as soon as Bilodeau could, partner: “Alex, you’ll know. There are no Prime Minister Stephen Harper, for one, he rushed to the side of his family. They were words for that.” And she was right, as 22-year- was in Ottawa watching the event on TV all there, pinned against a crowd-control old Bilodeau, from the leafy Montreal suburb with his family. He called Peter Judge, the barrier: his father Serge Bilodeau, a one-time of Rosemère, now knows. In either official chief executive officer of the Canadian Free- major junior hockey player, his mother Syl- language there are no words appropriate for style Ski Association. “Hey Alex, the Prime vie Michaud, his younger sister Béatrice, a those rapturous early hours, just a jumble of Minister is on the line, do you want to talk skier herself and “a young Jenn Heil,” as feelings tinged with a sense of unreality, he to him?” Bilodeau says, recalling the moment. Alexandre describes her. But first, he threw would later reflect. Harper congratulated him on that elusive himself into the arms of his older brother The answer came to him, appropriately gold. “He said he’s really proud that we Frédéric, his constant companion, his idol, enough for a revelation, from a mountaintop broke that curse. It’s done,” Bilodeau said. his daily source of inspiration. His first words on the second night of competition. It came “I was saying, it’s an honour Mr. Prime Min- to Frédéric, who’d turned 28 on Feb. 8 while after he scorched down the Cypress Moun- ister. It’s an honour to talk to you. I’m cheer- he was training, were, “Happy birthday, I tain moguls course in 23.17 seconds, bump- ing for the other Canadians, I’m so proud love you.” ing to second place Dale Begg-Smith, another to be Canadian.” Frédéric, stricken with cerebral palsy, stood Canadian, if an indifferent one, who races Technically, two Canadians were battling for most of the event, leaning against the for his adopted country of Australia. It came for that gold. There’s Bilodeau, who wears metal barricade, shouting support, waving after waiting to see if one last competitor, the his patriotism on his sleeve and the maple his hands clad in red Olympic mittens. After- formidable Frenchman Guilbaut Colas, could leaf on his helmet. And there’s Vancouver- wards, it was when speaking of Frédéric that take his gold away. born Begg-Smith, who left Canada at 15 for the dam broke on Alexandre’s welling emo- When Colas’s marks were announced and Australia, slamming the door on the way out. tions. He fought tears as he talked about the the run fell short, Bilodeau leapt to his ski He was both a skiing and computer prodigy. impact his brother has had on his life. Fré- boots, pumped his fists and picked up a Can- Australia, he has said, offered a chance to déric, in spirit at least, was on the podium adian flag. He saluted the screaming crowd, pursue in tandem his sport and the Internet with him, he said. And in no small way that’s their emotions jacked by patriotism, cans of businesses that have made him wealthy. He true. If not for Frédéric, Alexandre might well Canadian beer and the realization they’d wit- took out Australian citizenship and delivered have continued playing hockey, a sport he his adopted country the gold medal in Turin was passionate about as a young boy. and now a silver in Vancouver. But hockey excluded Frédéric from the ALEXANDRE BILODEAU Begg-Smith’s conflicted relationship with activities of a tight-knit family. It was Sylvie his country of birth continued a day after the who steered Alexandre out of skates and onto To prepare for his event, Bilodeau steered clear of Jany-Eve Saucier, his event. His coach Steve Desovich, almost cer- skis as a young tyke. “It was more accessible /CP OLYMPICS SPECIAL ICK s girlfriend. “I was only allowed to blow tainly with Begg-Smith’s blessing, told the for the family to get involved in skiing,” Fré- a kiss to him before his race, and that’s Australian press, “I thought Dale won.” The tr it,” she says • Experts say his gold A brother’s bond: When he was a kid, sport is both timed and judged, and he sug- ilpa medal run will score him upward of Alexandre traded his hockey skates for a $1 million in endorsements gested the judging favoured the home-coun- pair of skis to spend more time with his K n EA maclean’ try hero. But Bilodeau executed a more tech- brother Frédéric S 80 déric said in a broadcast interview. Tears of joy: Jennifer Heil (below), It wasn’t an easy decision for the boy, a friend and training partner of Bi- lodeau’s, landed in the silver medal or for Serge, who had been a skilled position; Alexandre and his family player and wanted Alexandre to have (left) in CTV’s Vancouver studio the same opportunity. “My mom won the fight like always,” Alexandre donation, inspired by Frédéric, goes says. He excelled from the beginning. to pediatric cerebral palsy research. It helped his enthusiasm that as a “It’s something that gets to me. Why seven-year-old, he watched on tele- kids?” he said of the condition, which vision as fellow Quebecer Jean-Luc injures the developing brain. “Give Brassard won the gold medal at the time. Give money. Give things,” Bilo- Games in Lillehammer in 1994, the deau urged Canadians. “So many year freestyle moguls became a full people need our help.” Olympic event. Bilodeau says his own success would Above all, skiing let him play with have been impossible without the sup- his big brother. They were always port and donations he received. Behind close, despite the difference in age him is a machine, some of it powered and abilities. It is on snow that grav- by Canada’s $117-million Own the ity is Frédéric’s ally and not a force Podium program, and some of it com- to overcome. Recently, however, his ing with the quiet support of mem- mobility has declined and he’s had bers of Quebec’s business elite—people to give up the sport he loves. “He with names like Desmarais and Bronf- was capable even to ski such a short man. For the latter, Heil and Gauthier time ago,” says Serge. Walking has can claim no small credit. also become more difficult. He fell Heil says her victory in Turin was two weeks ago, breaking a middle the result of a group of sponsors in finger. “Sometimes he completely forgets Alberta, her home province, and Quebec, how difficult it is for him to walk,” Serge told JENNIFER HEIL where she lives. The sponsors, silent partners a reporter. Still, he tries, staying out of a really, were assembled with the help of Gau- She’s an athlete ambassador for David wheelchair whenever he can. Doctors had Suzuki’s program Play It Cool · Heil’s thier and their friend and mentor J.D. Miller, warned the family that Frédéric would likely pre-event ritual includes a “little bit of a well-connected Montreal mergers and acqui- lose the ability to walk by age 10. “He still dancing in my ski boots” · Her favourite sitions specialist. They underwrote the cost inspirational quote, “Be comfortable walks,” says his brother, defiantly. “So where’s with being uncomfortable,” was once of specialized coaching, nutrition and physical the limit for each of us?” written on a door in her home therapists. After Turin, the program expanded Testing limits is what got Bilodeau to Cypress to become B2ten, the “B” standing for a busi- Mountain. It’s seen him through long hours snow and in personal life is tremendous.” ness approach to results-based assistance. It of training, on snow, in the gym, off jumps Heil learned of Bilodeau’s gold when she has since raised more than $3 million to meet into water pools in the summer. It’s caused was backstage at the victory ceremony at B.C.