The greater Corunna community is on cloud nine today after hometown hero Derek Drouin won the gold medal in high jump at the Rio Olympics.
Drouin had a perfect round at Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night to clinch the gold, which was his second Olympic high jump medal following a bronze four years ago in London.
With his family cheering him on in the stands and a nation holding its breath, the 26-year-old cleared the bar at 2.38 metres (7 feet 8 inches) to secure a medal, then watched as the last two contenders – Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko – missed their final attempts.
Then for the icing on the cake, Drouin decided to try 2.40, which would have been an Olympic record, but came up short.
“It was certainly a really stressful lead up. Four months ago, probably less, I was told I shouldn’t keep jumping this season,” Drouin told CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault.
“But obviously I made some good decisions, it was some stressful times, and it felt like at that point I had nothing to lose and was able to approach the last couple months pretty much stress-free.”
Drouin, who looked cool and calm throughout, became the first Canadian male to win gold at the Rio Games, and upped Canada’s medal count to 14 so far.
The reigning world champion walked about the stadium with the Maple Leaf held high and greeted his family, parents Gaetan and Sheila Drouin and sisters Alysha and Gillian, herself a two-time Canadian high jump champion.
He also gave credit to his long-time local coach Joel Skinner.