Ottawa's Olympic Medalists Return Home to Heroic Welcome After 2026 Winter Games
Four athletes from the Ottawa area returned home on Monday night, their luggage significantly heavier than when they departed for the 2026 Winter Olympics approximately one month earlier. The reason for the added weight? Each of them proudly brought back an Olympic medal, marking a triumphant conclusion to their journey in Italy.
Long Journey Home for Olympic Heroes
The athletes arrived in Ottawa on two separate flights during the evening of February 23. Curler Emma Miskew was the first to touch down at 7:30 p.m., followed by hockey players Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, and Jocelyne Larocque about two and a half hours later. It was an extensive travel day for the athletes, with some facing hours-long delays during the multi-leg journey from Italy to Ottawa. Now back on Canadian soil, the athletes expressed their happiness at returning home after nearly a month away.
Emma Miskew Brings Home Bronze in Curling
After curling together since they were just 11 years old, Ottawa curlers Emma Miskew and Rachel Homan can now add their first-ever Olympic medals to their impressive list of curling achievements. Team Homan secured the bronze medal against the United States, capping off a tense and resilient run that had friends and family on the edges of their seats in the early morning hours. This victory marks the first time Canada has reached an Olympic podium in women's curling since Jennifer Jones won gold at the 2014 Sochi Games.
At the Ottawa International Airport, Miskew was greeted by a crowd of friends, family members, and numerous well-wishers from the Ottawa Curling Club who filled the arrivals area for a special homecoming celebration. For her parents, Jeannie and Art Miskew, this was one of the rare occasions they exited their car to pick up their daughter at the airport following an out-of-town bonspiel. Typically, they would pull up, pop the trunk, and wait for Emma, but they changed that routine on Monday night. They parked the car and went inside—Jeannie waving a Canadian flag and Art wearing his Team Canada jacket—to join others eagerly awaiting Emma's arrival.
"We knew this one would be different," Jeannie remarked, highlighting the significance of the occasion.
Heartwarming Airport Reception
A group of children carrying hand-drawn signs were the first to embrace Miskew, with one child promptly scooped up in her arms. One youngster asked to see her medal, which Miskew pulled out of her sweater pocket, and another quickly inquired about the stuffed animal given to each athlete during the medal ceremony. "It's really nice to see the faces that I've missed for the last few weeks who weren't able to be there with us, but always were cheering," Emma told the media after landing. "It's always nice to get that warm welcome. I always feel the love in Ottawa."
Transition Back to Reality
Now that the Olympic festivities have concluded, it's back to reality for these Canadian athletes. Some are looking forward to much-needed rest, while others are shifting gears as they prepare for the second half of their professional seasons. The return home not only signifies the end of an Olympic chapter but also the beginning of new challenges and opportunities in their respective sports.
The heroic welcome at the airport underscores the community's pride and support for these local athletes, whose achievements have brought honor to Ottawa and Canada on the global stage. As they settle back into their routines, the memories of their Olympic success and the warm reception from their hometown will undoubtedly inspire them in their future endeavors.
