Back home | “We were lucky to participate in such iconic Games”

Diving into the water. Coming out, and being buried in the enthusiastic roar of family and friends in the stands. For Caeli McKay, the Paris Games will remain etched in her memory for this aspect in particular.

“Hearing my family cheering me on was really special,” the diver said Monday night upon her arrival at Montreal-Trudeau Airport. “The only family I had cheering me on in Tokyo was my husband.” [l’ex-plongeur Vincent Riendeau]. It was a little louder this time.”

McKay, like the dozen or so athletes who passed in front of the horde of media gathered at YUL on Monday evening, had drawn features from accumulated fatigue after a transatlantic flight. And, one can well imagine, from two crazy weeks in Paris.

Rest assured, dear readers. The first faces these Olympians saw upon their arrival were not those of the many journalists. For McKay, precisely, Vincent Riendeau was already back in the country, and was waiting patiently for him in the area reserved for this purpose.

“It was really fun to see it from the outside,” Riendeau told The Presswhich was caught at some point during the long wait between the athletes’ landing and their arrival at the airport exit.

Riendeau competed in the Rio and Tokyo Games in 2016 and 2021. This was his first time attending an Olympics as a fan. He shared the moments with his mother, his aunt, and Caeli McKay’s family.

“I’m extremely proud of Caeli,” he said. His partner finished fourth for the third time in the Olympic final on the 10-meter springboard: once in synchro in Tokyo, and twice in Paris, in synchro and in the individual event.

“I’ve seen her progression in previous years, and in recent weeks. She’s had some exceptional performances. […] It’s always hard to swallow fourth place for the third time. She still comes out of it with her head held high.”

The same story from the main person concerned.

“It was an enriching experience,” said the 25-year-old diver. “The fact that I didn’t win a medal didn’t overshadow my appreciation [des Jeux] and our powerful team. We must remember how lucky we were to be part of such iconic Games.”

“It was really great

In addition to McKay, his diving team teammate Nathan Zsombor-Murray, runner Thomas Fafard, polo player Rae Lekness, trainer Camille Carier-Bergeron, artistic swimmer Jonnie Newman and wrestlers Linda Morais and Alex Moore also returned to Montreal on Monday evening.

Of the lot, only Zsombor-Murray left Paris with a medal: bronze, acquired in the 10m synchro diving with Rylan Wiens.

But he doesn’t wear it around his neck for this event in front of the journalists. Why?

“I don’t like to flaunt that kind of stuff. [I don’t like to flaunt]he said simply. I am a humble person.”

Like most of the actors interviewed, the Montrealer was eager to rest at home. Especially since “it’s been almost a month” since he was last home.

Thomas Fafard may have launched THE quote of the Games with this gem captured by colleague Simon Drouin on Saturday, after his last place in the 5000m final on the athletics track: “I look back, I see that I am last, we won’t tell ourselves about croquettes, it really sucks…”, he declared candidly.

Two days later, in Montreal, the friendly mustachioed man had time to “take a step back.” And he swapped “croquette” for “cachette.”

“We won’t hide it, obviously it wasn’t the result I was hoping for. But a first Olympic final, it was definitely super incredible. […] I had time to decompress a little, to see the positive side of what I accomplished, and I’m really satisfied.”

As with McKay, as with Camille Carier-Bergeron, as with Linda Morais, what struck Fafard the most in Paris was the energy of the crowd. Even though it “affected” his performance a little.

Okay, your media assignment is over. It’s time for a well-deserved rest. What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get home?

“All I want to do is eat a steak and drink a glass of wine,” Caeli McKay replies.

Cheers, then.