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Powerful, dynamic and musical are words that describe six-time Canadian Champion and World Silver Medalist Joannie Rochette. Her astounding presence on the ice immediately captures your attention. Skating since she was 22 months old, she made her first mark on Canadian skating in 2000 and 2001 where she won the Novice and Junior titales back to back. The following year, she claimed the bronze medal in her Senior debut, and in 2005 finally realized the dream of becoming Canadian Champion.
A second-place finish at the 2003 Canadian Championships earned her a trip to the World Championships, to which she has returned every year since, placing in the top 10 five times, culminating with her Silver Medal at the 2009 Worlds. She has won several medals on the ISU Grand Prix Circuit, and has qualified for the Grand Prix Final three times.
Only three days since the news was gently broken to Rochette that her mom, Therese, had collapsed and died shortly after arriving in Vancouver, the valiant 24-year-old took her aching heart onto the ice at Pacific Coliseum and skated from the depths of her soul, surrendering to the comforting embrace of her sport and the warm hug of the crowd.
Making the decision to compete in these Olympics rather than turn away — doing it for her mother, for her father, Normand, who has remained by her side throughout, and for herself, because this is where Rochette lives, in the drama and thrum of elite figure skating.
With a trembling smile, and in a new rose-appliqué costume, she smacked palms with coach Manon Perron, as usual, then struck her pose at centre ice awaiting the opening strains of her short-program tango music, La Cumparsita.
It was emotional and compelling to see Joannie acheive her Olympic dream in Vancouver and it was spell binding to see her win a bronze medal in figure skating.
Joannie is the only daughter of Therese and Normand Rochette. Her father trained young hockey players and was the one who introduced Joannie to skating. Normand worked many overtime hours at his jobs to finance Joannie’s skating dreams, where podium finishes at the World Championships and Olympic dreams were still far off. Therese is the most faithful and most committed supporter of the accomplishments Joannie has had and will continue to have. For Joannie, her mother remains her most critical source to date, pushing her to her full potential! Here's to celebrating the spirit that Normand and Therese infused in our Olympian.
Courtesy of http://joannierochette.ca/en/biography and http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/770609--way-to-go-joannie
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