03. September 2004  
Calgary, Toronto / Canada  
Artistic Gymnastics

Canadian medallists welcomed home as heroes

Shewfelt, 'Golden Way'

Kyle Shewfelt (CAN), the first Canadian to win an artistic gymnastics medal when he took the gold in the floor exercise at the Olympics in Athens, promised to do his bit to advance sports in Canada by acting as a role model.
'For me, I was lucky on the day that I was able to put it all together,' Shewfelt said after the civic celebration where he was presented with a Calgary Flames jersey and a new street sign for 'Gold Medal Way.'
'I'm ready to share this experience with everybody I possibly can because I think it's inspirational and I want to inspire. I'm so happy to be home,' said Shewfelt when he arrived at the Calgary airport...

Olympic Champion, Floor Exercises, Kyle SHEWFELT, Canada

'Hopefully, when you're in a position like I am in right now, you have the responsibility to give back,' he said.
About 150 screaming fans greeted the gold medallist and Calgary's other Olympians.
Shewfelt was greeted by his mother, father, girlfriend and a number of people from the Altadore Gymnastics Club where he trains.
His girlfriend, Melissa Mitzner, said she is not at all surprised that he did so well.
'He's worked so hard. He's committed 16 years of his life to this. It's not something that happened overnight and he was ready.'
In Toronto, there was more celebration as Canadian medallists arrived at Pearson International Airport.
Gymnast Karen Cockburn pulled the silver medal she won in trampoline from her bag and kissed it in front of a cheering crowd.
'This is insane. I thought my family, my friends would be here, but this support's overwhelming,' she told reporters. 'It feels really special to be able to share something so special with all these people.'
source: canadian press