Olympians arrive back in Canada

(Updated)

The Olympics may be over, but the excitement for the athletes now now coming home. Many of our athletes received a hero’s welcome at Pearson Airport Monday.

It was all cheers, all smiles, and a little flash of gold. Our new National sports hero’s come home to those who supported them all along.

Dara Howell won gold in Slope Style Skiing. “It’s incredible. I definitely didn’t think it would set in until I got home to Canada. Can’t wait to go home and spend time with my family.

Dee Howell is Dara’s Mom. “It’s just great to see her and have her back on our home ground and hold her in my arms.”

This was just the first Olympics for Dara Howell, and making it to the top of the podium has her wanting more. “It was so surreal, and I want to do it again, cause it was that cool.”

While she comes home to what should be familiar, it is obvious now that something has changed. “This is crazy, I like don’t know what, like this is wild. I can’t even believe it right now, you know all these people here for Mike and I, it’s just, it’s incredible.”

Mike Riddle won silver in Half Pipe. “I’m kinda taking the whole media circus that just started now so that’s gonna be pretty cool.”

With 25 medals in Sochi this Olympics was Canada’s second best tally ever. So Monday at Pearson, the hardware came home in waves.

Curling gold medalist Brad Jacobs and his crew were eager to get back and taste what they missed most. “Tim Horton’s coffee.”

After a few autographs they would head to their home in Sault Ste. Marie.

E.J. Harnden won Men’s Curling Gold. “I hope we’ve inspired you to to follow your dreams and to never give up. I think were living proof of that.”

And soon after, Jennifer Jones and her undefeated Women’s Curling crew arrived; thankful for making the most of their Olympic moment.

Jennifer Jones said. “It’s a lifetime of wanting, a lifetime of dreaming, a lifetime of working hard and not really ever giving up on the dream. We’ve waited a long time for this moment and we didn’t let one second of the Olympics pass us by.”

But they quickly passed by Pearson en route to their home in Winnipeg.

And it doesn’t stop at Monday night. We are expecting even more arrivals Tuesday and even more hardware coming home including the Women’s Hockey team and Ancaster’s own Laura Fortino.