Short track speed skater Tania Vicent, who won a silver medal for Canada this past February at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, was back in her home town of Laval on April 20 to be honored — for her recent success, but also for her lifetime achievements — by Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt and other city officials.
Retires at 34
Tania, who won the silver as part of a team competing in the 3,000-metre women’s relay event, announced during her meeting with the mayor at city hall that she was retiring after 17 years with the Canadian speed skating team at the age of 34. Vicent, who for many years was a member of a speed skating club from Fabreville, has long been a symbol among local residents of athletic accomplishment in winter sports.
“Tania’s passion for skating motivates all young skaters from Laval,” said the mayor. “But what is even more important is that her personality represents something which young people with the same dreams can emulate — taking part in the Olympic games.” As Tania had received Laval city council’s medal of honor some years earlier following her participation in the Nagano, Salt Lake City and Turin Olympics, she was awarded on this occasion with a $2,500 bursary from the City of Laval.
Bursary for athletes
Vaillancourt pointed out that Laval holds all Olympians from the city in special esteem. “Their determination and their resolve deserve greatly to be rewarded and recognized, regardless of how they performed at the Olympics,” he added. “To reward all these daily efforts and to encourage them to continue, the City of Laval has been giving out for several years now a bursary to each of its athletes.”
Robert Dubreuil, executive director of the Fédération de patinage de vitesse du Québec who came in from the provincial capital to attend the event, noted that speed skating has always been important in the Vicent family. Tania has siblings who have also been involved in the sport. “You have always been an incredible representative for our sport, Tania, and on behalf of the speed skating federation we can never thank you enough,” he said. For her part, Tania urged all young athletes in Laval to “believe in your dreams as I have believed.
A winning attitude
“One day it will maybe be you who are receiving medals, and even if you don’t get any it’s not a serious thing,” she said. “If you have the right attitude, it will maybe take you there one day, and that’s worth more than any medals. I thank you all for being here. I am really touched.” After announcing her retirement, she said a lot of people think of 34 as a relatively young age, but “in my sport 34 years is considered old.” All the same, she said she wasn’t giving up skating altogether and would keep participating in her favourite sport.