I touched down in Italy mid-morning on Tuesday, and the past 36 hours have been a full sprint. The Olympics haven’t even officially started yet, but the energy here is already dialled all the way up.
Day one was all about getting oriented and setting the stage. I checked in at the Main Press Centre (MPC), then headed to the Milano Ice Skating Arena—home to short track speed skating and figure skating once the Games get underway.
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, at Cenacolo Vinciano, Milano. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Tuesday evening, I was able to fit in a bit of sightseeing. I toured the Cenacolo Vinciano to see Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, then wandered through Piazza del Duomo and the stunning Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II as Milan buzzed around me.
Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano) on a wet winter’s evening in Milano. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Wednesday marked a big shift: cameras out, finally. After my first visit to the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, I photographed the Canadian women’s hockey team as they practiced at the Milano Rho Arena ahead of their tournament opener. From there, it was across town to the Milano Ice Skating Arena to capture our short track team flying around the ice in their wicked new skinsuits.
Team selfie, Olympic edition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)Speed, skill, and skinsuits—Canada’s short track team is locked and loaded. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
This morning started early with another trip to the speed skating oval, where several of our long track skaters were logging laps ahead of competition, which begins Saturday. Watching—and hearing—them blast past at full speed was a vivid reminder of just how elite these athletes are. The session also gave me a chance to test new shooting techniques and lock in vantage points before race day chaos begins.
Smooth, strong, and skating fast—Olympic dreams taking shape on the oval. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
On Friday, the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games officially kick off with the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium at 8:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. ET). I’m excited to share that I’ve been accredited to photograph the event and can’t wait to bring you images from inside the stadium.
Hanging out at the Milano Speed Skating Arena ahead of the Milano Cortina 2025 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Alain Brouillette)
More soon. Thanks, as always, for following along—and for the continued support and encouragement.
In the lead-up to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, I reached out to six of Canada’s top winter athletes with a simple but meaningful request: permission to photograph them during their training. My goal was to look beyond polished competition images and capture the unseen hours—the discipline, focus, and sacrifice that define the Olympic journey. Without hesitation, each athlete agreed, generously allowing me to spend several hours with them in their training environments and granting rare access to their daily routines.
Canadian hockey player Marie-Philip Poulin training at the Verdun Auditorium in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin and Steven Dubois welcomed me to the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, where their short track training unfolded in intense, purposeful bursts. From meticulous warm-ups to high-speed repetitions, the session revealed the resilience and discipline required to perform in a sport where every fraction of a second matters. Being on the ice with them offered an unfiltered look at the hard work that fuels their success.
Canadian short track speed skater Kim Boutin training at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)Canadian short track speed skater Steven Dubois training at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
At the Scarboro Figure Skating Club, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier opened the doors to their ice dance training. Their time on the ice was a blend of athletic precision and artistic expression—repeating elements, refining timing, and building connection through constant collaboration. These sessions highlighted the courage it takes to push creative and technical limits, season after season.
Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier training at the Scarboro Figure Skating Club in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
At the Verdun Auditorium, Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey invited me to witness their dryland on on-ice training sessions. Away from the noise of competition, the focus was on strength, conditioning, and mental preparation. The intensity and commitment on display reflected not only their individual drive, but also the leadership and determination that have defined their careers.
Canadian hockey players Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey training at the Verdun Auditorium in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
It is incredibly special—and deeply humbling—to witness athletes who are literally the best in the world at what they do, quietly honing their craft through relentless discipline and determination, long before the spotlight arrives. In those unguarded moments, you see how the pursuit of excellence is built through repetition, sacrifice, and belief.
Through my camera, I aimed to document these moments as authentically as possible—capturing dedication in its rawest form. I am deeply grateful for the trust each athlete placed in me and for the openness with which they shared their preparation.
In just a few days from now, when these athletes step onto the Olympic stage in Italy, they will carry more than personal ambition with them. Canadians from coast to coast to coast will be cheering them on, inspired by their courage, resilience, and unwavering determination.
I sincerely hope you enjoy viewing these images as much as I enjoyed capturing them. Please join me in wishing Kim, Steven, Piper, Paul, Marie-Philip, and Laura—and all of Team Canada—the very best of luck as they take on the world in Milan. 🇨🇦
Can you recall exactly where you were and what you were doing on this date last year?
Personally, I will never forget February 20, 2018. For me and countless others, it will forever be etched in mind as the day that Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir delivered an on-ice performance for the ages.
February 20, 2018: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir performing their free dance at Gangneung Ice Arena, earning them an Olympic Gold Medal in the ice dance competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
I hadn’t really planned on writing a retrospective piece about my experience photographing the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. However, as images and stories continue to show up on social media marking the one-year anniversary of the Games, I can’t help but reflect on what a privilege it was to bear witness to such an incredible series of athletic achievements; not just by Virtue & Moir, but many others as well.
My memories of PyeongChang are so vivid that it really does feel like just yesterday that I was in Korea serving as the official photographer for Skate Canada and Speed Skating Canada. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but a year later, it’s still hard for me to adequately describe just how special and impactful the experience was.
While I’m quite proud of how I was able to manage and execute this monumental assignment, the truth is, I simply could not have done it without the help of so many others. In particular, the advice I received from several photographers who have documented previous Olympic Games proved invaluable.
I want to specifically thank André Ringuette, Dave Holland, Jean Levac, Adrian Wyld, Sean Kilpatrick and André Forget for taking time out of their busy schedules to provide me with tips and guidance in the months leading up to the Games.
I also want to highlight what a pleasure it was to shoot alongside such accomplished photographers as Danielle Earl, Jason Ransom, Leah Hennel, Paul Chiasson, Vaughn Ridley, Steve Russell and David Jackson, among others, during the Games. I was (and continue to be) amazed and inspired by their work.
February 20, 2018: Scott Moir & Tessa Virtue celebrate their Olympic Gold Medal victory in the ice dance competition at Gangneung Ice Arena. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Because there were so many highlights throughout the Olympics, it’s very difficult for me to narrow the list down to just a few favourites.
Seeing Team Canada enter PyeongChang Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony, witnessing Kim Boutin overcome incredible adversity to earn three medals in short track at her first Olympics, and watching the figure skating squad earn gold in the team event are some of my most cherished memories.
Of course, the one Olympic moment that stands out for me above all others involves being rinkside for Virtue & Moir’s breathtaking performance of Moulin Rouge in the ice dance competition.
Passion. Connected.
Over the past nine years, I’ve had the privilege of photographing Tessa and Scott both on and off the ice. During that time, I’ve been afforded the rare opportunity to witness first-hand just how incredibly hard they’ve worked to become the very best in the world at what they do. And while I am certainly a fan of their skating, I am even more fond of them as people.
Tessa and Scott are exceptional athletes and artists, and there is no question that their connection with one another is unparalleled. However, what has always impressed me the most is how genuine and kind they are. To me, this duo represents excellence in the truest sense of the word, and I am extremely grateful to them for their faith and confidence in me as a photographer.
February 20, 2018: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir performing Moulin Rouge at Gangneung Ice Arena, which earned them an Olympic Gold Medal in the ice dance competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
When photographing major events, it’s of paramount importance to stay focused and impartial to the subject(s) you’re trying to capture. This is especially critical to keep in mind while documenting sports, since the action moves very quickly and there is zero margin for error.
I must admit that it was quite a challenge keeping my emotions in check during Tessa and Scott’s free dance at the Gangneung Ice Arena. In fact, I don’t know of anyone who watched the performance in-person or on TV that wasn’t completely mesmerized.
Nevertheless, I did the very best I could to not get too wrapped-up in what I was seeing, and in the end, I think the images I captured turned out about as well as I could have hoped.
The Hug Seen Around the World
Immediately following the performance, while Tessa and Scott were anxiously awaiting their score, I wanted to better position myself to capture their reaction when the results were announced. Although I was initially located at the opposite end of the ice, I managed to hustle and claim a spot just a few feet away from the “Kiss & Cry” area with mere seconds to spare.
When Tessa and Scott were declared Olympic champions, they immediately started celebrating with their coaches. As I was taking photos of this jubilant scene, Tessa approached and asked if she could give me a hug. As a rule, sports photographers must be as discrete as possible and, as one might expect, interactions with the athletes are generally forbidden. In this particular instance, however, how could I possible say no?!
Of course, little did I realize that our embrace was being captured on camera. Within seconds, my phone began buzzing incessantly, as friends and family sent text messages indicating that they’d spotted me on TV back home in Canada. The ‘hug seen around the world’ lives on in the form of an animated gif and still brings a smile to my face, even though I appear terribly unprofessional.
As the celebration continued, I aimed to capture images of Tessa and Scott’s family and friends in the stands. I distinctly recall catching the attention of Tessa’s sister Jordan and asking her to assemble the group for a photo. It was wonderful to see them huddled together as one big happy family, beaming with pride. Perhaps that explains why I was suddenly unable to contain my own excitement and proceeded to do a big first-pump, which Jordan and I have joked about several times since.
February 20, 2018: The Virtue and Moir Families celebrate Tessa & Scott’s gold medal victory in the ice dance competition at the Gangneung Ice Arena. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
More Than A Feeling
Once the victory ceremony began and Tessa and Scott took their rightful place at the top of the podium, I was immediately struck by the incredible bond the two skaters share. Given that they have spent over twenty years together as ice dance partners and best friends, I’m not sure that anyone other than Tessa and Scott can truly understand or appreciate the uniqueness of their relationship.
February 20, 2018: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir sshare a moment atop the podium following their Olympic Gold Medal victory in the ice dance competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
That said, I’m truly honoured that one of the photos I took during the victory ceremony was later chosen by Tessa and Scott to appear on the cover of their new book, which was released in October 2018. When I learned that the reason they selected that image was because of the feelings that it captured and conveyed, I was very moved. For them to appreciate my work in such a meaningful way was incredibly humbling.
고맙습니다
Overall, as I look back on my experience as a photographer at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, I still cannot believe how fortunate I was.
In addition to the people I mentioned above, I owe a debt of gratitude to Skate Canada (Emma Bowie) and Speed Skating Canada (Patrick Godbout) for enlisting me, to the Canadian athletes for inspiring me each and every day throughout the Games, to my friends and colleagues for offering me their unwavering support and encouragement, and to my parents and sister for cheering me on as though I too was an Olympian.
Hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to document future Olympic Games, but regardless of whether that comes to pass, I will always have cherished memories of PyeongChang 2018. Thank you for allowing me to share some of these with you!
Sincerely,
Greg
February 25, 2018: Ice dancers Scott Moir & Tessa Virtue share a final moment together on Olympic ice following their performance at the PyeongChang 2018 Figure Skating Gala. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 24, 2018: Speed skater Keri Morrison (#5) competing in the ladies’ mass start event. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 21, 2018: Young Korean speed skating fans cheer on their favourite athletes at the Gangneung Oval. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 15, 2018: Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford performing their free program which lead to a bronze medal in the pairs competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 22, 2018: Short track speed skater Samuel Girard reflects during warm-up ahead of his race at Gangneung Ice Arena. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 18, 2018: Short track speed skater Samuel Girard stands atop the podium during a medal ceremony celebrating his victory in the men’s 1000m final. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 9, 2018: Flagbearers Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir lead Team Canada into PyeongChang Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 11, 2018: Pairs figure skaters Eric Radford & Meagan Duhamel are embraced by their teammates following their performance in the team competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 18, 2018: Josie Morrison, Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin competing in the ladies’ team pursuit. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 9, 2018: The Korean and Olympic flags flying side-by-side during the Opening Ceremony at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 23, 2018: Kaetlyn Osmond shows off the Olympic bronze medal she earned in the ladies’ figure skating competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 22, 2018: Short track skater Kim Boutin competing in the ladies’ 1000m final. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 20, 2018: Scott Moir is embraced by his brothers following a gold medal performance alongside Tessa Virtue in the ice dance competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Me alongside Olympic Champions Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue at Canada Olympic House.
February 24, 2018: Speed skater Ivanie Blondin (#3) competing in the ladies’ mass start event. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 23, 2018: Kelsey Serwa celebrates her victory in women’s ski cross during her Olympic medal ceremony. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 20, 2018: Piper Gillis & Paul Poirier performing their free dance during the ice dance competition. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 22, 2018: Short track speed skater Kim Boutin celebrates her silver medal result in the women’s 1000m final. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
February 17, 2018: Short track teammates Charle Cournoyer, Samuel Girard, Charles Hamelin, Pascal Dion, and Francois Hamelin celebrate their bronze mdeal result in the men’s 5000m relay. (PHOTO: Greg Kolz)
Day #5 of the Games marked the beginning of the Pair Skating competition. Canada is represented by three duos: Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford, Julianne Seguin & Charlie Bilodeau, and Kirsten Moore-Towers & Michael Marinaro.
Also of note is the pair of Ryom Tae Ok & Kim Ju Sik, from North Korea. Interestingly, Ryom and Kim trained with Canadian coach Bruno Marcotte in Montreal for two months in 2017, and are said to be big fans of two-time World Champions Duhamel & Radford.
The moment the North Koreans took to the ice for their short program, the crowd erupted in support of the pair. The now infamous PRK cheerleading squad was also in full force, with all 229 women seated in the same section of the arena chanting and swaying in unison.
The young skaters seemed to feed off the energy in the building, and delivered a captivating performance which earned them a score of 69.40. By placing among the top 16 teams, they also qualified to advance in the competition.
Next to skate were Canadians Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro. Competing for the first time together at the Olympics, the duo earned a score of 65.68. Shortly thereafter, Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau delivered a strong performance of their own, earning a score of 67.52. Both pairs qualified for tomorrow’s free skate.
Seven-time National Champions Megan Duhamel & Eric Radford, who were also part of the squad that earned gold in the Team Event, took to the ice for the third time in PyeongChang. The pair skated beautifully to April Meservy’s interpretation of U2’s “With or Without You” and earned a score of 76.82, placing them in 3rd after the short program.
The Winds of Winter
Not long after the figure skating wrapped-up, a wicked windstorm blew into the Gagneung area. The Venue Media Centre at the GIA, which is actually just a great big tent located outside the arena, started swaying precariously, prompting the PyeongChang Organizing Committee to evacuate the premises. My fellow photographers and I had to relocate to a designated area inside the arena in order to finish editing and uploading our images. Thankfully, in the end, no real harm was done.
Eventually I made my way back to the GMV for a quick nap, before heading to the Mountain Cluster for Wednesday evening’s medal ceremony. I must say, I didn’t quite expect to be making daily trips to the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza (POP), but the hour-long commute is actually quite relaxing. The scenery is beautiful and it’s nice to be able to daydream a little bit between events.
Braving the Storm
For this evening’s ceremony I was granted a spot in the pit directly in front of the stage. (Special thanks to the venue photo manager, Julia Vynokurova, for providing me with such a prime position!) I was very pleased to be able to photograph Kim Boutin receiving her bronze medal for yesterday’s 3rd place finish in the Ladies’ 500m short track event. What I hadn’t anticipated was how emotional the experience would be.
You see, following yesterday’s race, Kim faced unbelievable criticism from Korean fans who felt that she was somehow responsible for Choi Minjeong’s disqualification in the A Final. I first became aware of the severity of the situation last night when I posted and tagged a photo of Kim on my Instagram account, and within seconds people started posting very harsh and derogatory comments. As it happens, on-line trolls went so far as to issue death threats towards the young Olympian, despite the fact that she literally had nothing to do with the judges’ decision to penalize the Korean skater.
When Kim walked on stage for the medal ceremony she was smiling, but you could tell that she was not quite her usual self. She appeared exhausted, overwhelmed and uneasy. As she stood on the podium awaiting her medal, she began to cry. These were not tears of joy, but rather of distress. It was gut wrenching to witness. No one deserves to have their Olympic moment hijacked, in particular a woman who did nothing to merit such vile criticism.
To her credit, Kim put on a brave face when she received her medal, and smiled for me as I took her picture. Nevertheless, I felt badly that she was deprived of the joy that usually accompanies standing on the Olympic podium.
As soon as the medal presentation ended, I made my way to the mixed zone in order to capture some close-up shots and share a few words with the bronze medalist. While I can’t claim to know Kim very well, I felt it was important to let her know that she had the full support of her fellow Canadians.
Once Kim completed a few TV interviews, she made her way towards the area where I was standing and paused long enough for me to take a few pictures. I then offered her some words of encouragement and gave her a big hug. I’m not sure that my actions made much of a difference, but if nothing else hopefully Kim recognizes that we are all very proud of her accomplishments and wish her continued success during the rest of the Games.
Before leaving the POP, I decided to wander around the plaza and capture some photos of the Olympic Cauldron. Eventually, I hopped on a shuttle and made the return trip to the GMV. Upon arrival, I decided to visit Czech House nearby and enjoy a pint of Pilsner Urquell before calling it a night. The Olympics have only been going on for five days, yet I already have memories to last a lifetime. I can’t wait to see what excitement tomorrow brings!
The Olympic Cauldron shines brightly at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Julianne Seguin takes flight as Charlie Bilodeau throws her in the air during the Pair Skating competition. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
First-time Olympians Julianne Seguin & Charlie Bilodeau did Canada proud in the Pair Skating competition. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford performing their short program in the Pair Skating event. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin displays her Olympic Bronze Medal. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Legendary snowboarder Shaun White shows off his third Olympic Gold Medal in the Men’s Halfpipe competition. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kirsten Moore-Towers & Michael Marinaro performing their short program in the Pair Skating event. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
The Olympic Cauldron shines brightly at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford were visibly pleased with their performance. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kirsten Moore-Towers & Michael Marinaro performing their short program in the Pair Skating event. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Ryom Tae Ok & Kim Ju Sik wowed the crowd with a charismatic performance in the Pair Skating competition. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin wipes away tears during the Olympic Medal Ceremony for the Ladies’ 500m event. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
On Day #4 of the Games, my first assignment wasn’t scheduled to take place until 7:00pm local time, which meant that I had a few hours to catch up on rest and take care of a few items on my to-do list.
I connected with my friend and fellow photographer Danielle Earl, and together we grabbed breakfast at the GMV and then made our way to the Main Press Centre to pick up our tickets for the next round of figure skating events.
While we were at the MPC, we were informed that a press conference was being held in recognition of Canadian freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury, who had won the men’s moguls competition the night before. Since we had a bit of time on our hands, Danielle and I decided to sit in on the media avail.
It’s Good To Be The King!
At just 25 years of age, Mik Kingsbury is without question the most dominant freestyle skier in history. Going into his second Olympics, he already boasts 69 World Cup podium finishes, including 48 victories. In 2016-17 he won his sixth straight Crystal Globe as the overall World Cup champion for both moguls and all of freestyle skiing. Four years ago, he earned an Olympic silver medal at the Sochi 2014 Games. The only item missing from his trophy case was an Olympic gold medal… that is, until now!
I’ve known Mik for a few years, and I’ve always been impressed by how well he carries himself. He’s supremely confident, but not the slightest bit arrogant. You can tell that he is highly competitive and extremely driven, but also very down-to-earth and cognisant of others. Articulate in both French and English, Mik always gives honest and well though-out answers to the questions he’s asked, and today’s press conference was no exception.
Winning gold at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics was no fluke. During the press conference, Mik talked about how he had been preparing for this occasion for most of his life. In fact, he recounted how, at just 9 years of age, he drew a picture of the Olympic rings along with the words “I will win” and placed it above his bed. 15 years later, his mission statement was realized.
Mik’s parents, Julie and Robert, were also in attendance at the press conference. It was wonderful to see them sharing such a proud moment with their son. I was very pleased to be able to personally congratulate Mik and his family on such a momentous accomplishment. There’s clearly no disputing the slogan on Mik’s lucky t-shirt, which reads, “It’s Good To Be The King!”
Fast and Fearless
Once the press conference wrapped up, Danielle and I decided to venture to the Olympic Sliding Centre, located within walking distance of the MPC. Once we arrived at the venue, a volunteer spotted the two of us attempting the trek up to the top of the mountain, and kindly offered us a ride to the start gate.
(At a length of nearly 1.4 kilometers, at an average incline of 9.48%, and an altitude difference of 116.32m from bottom to top, walking the entire track with all our camera gear in tow would have been a serious workout that neither one of us was especially prepared for!)
It was rather brisk and windy at the top of the track, but the sun was shining, and I could barely contain my excitement when I realized that we’d arrived in time to watch a skeleton training session.
Here’s the thing… if I could pick only one Olympic sport to participate in, it would be, without question, skeleton. After all, what could possibly be more exciting than plummeting head-first down a steep and treacherous track of ice on a tiny sled at speeds in excess of 130km/hr?!?
In this particular instance, since I’d left my spandex race suit at home, and this was actually a women’s training session, I had to settle on taking pictures rather than participating.
Being less than 4 feet away from the racers as they blazed past was such a rush! In fact, I must have had a silly grin on my face the entire time I was at the track. Thankfully, despite my exuberance, I was still able to capture some cool photos of these fearless women making it from start to finish in less than 53 seconds.
By comparison, it took me and Danielle nearly 90mins to walk the entire length of the track (with plenty of stops along the way). By the time we made it to the finish line, we decided it was time to hop on a shuttle and head back to the GMV.
Short but Sweet
After a quick bite to eat and a brief nap, it was time for me to head to the GIA for an evening of short track speed skating. Once again, I was fortunate to be granted a photo position at ice-level. Events on the schedule included the Ladies’ 500m (Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals), as well as the Men’s 1,000m (Heats) and Men’s 5,000m (Heats).
In the Men’s 1,000m heats, Canadians Samuel Girard and Charles Hamelin both qualified for the quarterfinals, which will be held on February 17th. Unfortunately, Charle Cournoyer did not advance.
On the upside, Charle is a member of the Men’s 5000m relay squad (along with Samuel Girard, Charles Hamelin, and Pascal Dion) which did qualify for the ‘A’ Final, which will take place on February 22nd.
Canada had two athletes competing in the Ladies’ 500m: Kim Boutin and Marianne St-Gelais. (Jamie Macdonald did not advance past the heats earlier in the week.)
Sadly, Marianne was penalized in her quarterfinal race, thus eliminating her from the competition. This meant that Canada’s medal hopes in the Ladies’ 500m now rested on Kim’s shoulders.
It’s worth noting that the 23-year-old from Sherbrooke, Quebec, is competing in her first Olympics. If Kim was feeling any pressure, then it certainly didn’t seem to be affecting her performance on the ice. She finished 2nd in her quarterfinal, and then in the semi-final, judges deemed that Kim was impeded by a Chinese skater during the race, so she was granted a spot in the ‘A’ Final.
In addition to Kim Boutin, the ‘A’ Final included the current World Record holder (Elise Christie), the current Olympic Record holder (Choi Minjeong), as well as a 5-time Olympic medalist (Arianna Fontana) and a top-10 ranked Dutch skater (Yara Van Kerkhof). In other words, the field was stacked!
The race itself only lasted about 42 seconds, but there was no shortage of action. Kim finished the race in 4th place. However, following a lengthy review, judges deemed that Choi Minjeong (who originally finished in 2nd place) had impeded another skater, and therefore she was disqualified. As a result, Kim was bumped up to 3rd place.
As luck would have it, I happened to be in the perfect position to capture Kim’s reaction the moment she found out that she had just won an Olympic Bronze medal. The look on her face was one of total exhilaration and disbelief. Within seconds Marianne St-Gelais came to embrace her teammate, and Kim’s coach soon followed.
It was total bedlam in the arena, as the Korean fans realized that their skater had been denied a medal, but Canadian fans (myself included) couldn’t have been happier!
As the saying goes, you have to be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good. It would seem that the adage is as applicable to speed skaters as it is for photographers.
Olympic Champion Mikael Kingsbury addresses the media. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Mik’s parents, Julie and Robert, are interviewed by TVA Sports. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
A skeleton athlete sprints from the starting line during a training session. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
A slider keeps her eyes on the track during a skeleton training session. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Canada’s Mirela Rahneva speeds down the track during a skeleton training session. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Skeleton racers can reach speeds of up to 130 km/hr. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Charle Cournoyer in action during the Men’s 1,000m heats. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Medal hopeful Samuel Girard leading the way during the Men’s 1,000m heats. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin showing no fear during her first Olympic Games. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Pascal Dion keeping Canada in contention during the Men’s 5,000m Relay heats. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Pascal Dion receiving a push from teammate Samuel Girard during the Men’s 5,000m heats. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Charles Hamelin receiving a push from teammate Charle Cournoyer during the Men’s 5,000m Relay heats. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
23-year-old Kim Boutin the moment she realizes she’s won her first Olympic medal! (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin receives a giant hug from teammate Marianne St-Gelais in celebration of Boutin’s 3rd place finish in the Ladies’ 500m Final. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
Kim Boutin celebrates her bronze medal in the Ladies’ 500m Final with her coach Frederic Blackburn. (Photo: Greg Kolz)
As the official photographer for Skate Canada and Speed Skating Canada, I am responsible for covering all figure skating, short track, and long track speed skating events throughout the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
On Friday, February 10th, I was assigned to photograph a total of four events at two separate venues: Men’s 1,500m heats & final, Women’s 500m heats, and Women’s 3,000m relay heats in Short Track at the Gangneung Ice Arena (GIA), as well as the Women’s 3,000m final in Long Track next door at the Gangneung Oval (GOV).
The competition schedule has been designed to cater primarily to the North American viewing audience. Because PyeongChang is 14 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone, this means that many of the most popular events are held either early in the morning or late in the evening here in Korea. On this particular date, the speed skating events began at 7:00pm local time, which meant that I had plenty of time to sort through my pictures from the Opening Ceremony before making my way from the Gangneung Media Village (GMV) to the GIA.
For the short track events, I was provided with a ‘Field of Play’ (FOP) photo position, which meant that I was at ice level. FOP positions are very limited, but also highly coveted, because they offer unparalleled views of the action. You are literally eye-to-eye with the skaters. This also means that you have to be prepared to move very quickly in the event of a crash, since the cushioned padding around the rink is designed to absorb the impact and shift at least a foot or two away from the ice. In other words, standing too close to the pads, or leaning a laptop or camera gear on top or against them is a very bad idea.
In the men’s 1,500m, Canada’s Samuel Girard and Charles Hamelin each advanced to the ‘A’ Final, while Pascal Dion advanced to the ‘B’ Final. Unfortunately, Charles was penalized in the final, and Samuel finished just off the podium in 4th position. Pascal finished in 12th place overall.
The Women’s 3,000m relay team (consisting of Marianne St-Gelais, Kim Boutin, Jamie Macdonald and Kasandra Bradette) qualified for the ‘A’ Final, which will take place on the evening of February 20th.
In the Women’s 500m heats, Kim Boutin and Marianne St-Gelais each advanced to the quarter finals (which will be held on February 13th), while Jamie Macdonald was penalized during her qualifying race and was therefore disqualified from advancing in the 500m event.
Over at the GOV, Canada had three athletes competing in the Women’s 3,000m final: Ivanie Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann, and Brianne Tutt. They finished in 6th, 7th, and 20th positions, respectively.
The fact that these events were running simultaneously meant that I had to literally run between GIA and GOV four times throughout the evening. I felt as though I was participating in my own version of the 3,000m final, minus the skates. In the end, I was quite pleased with the photos, but I’ll let you decide if I did a decent job of capturing the action as it unfolded…
Samuel Girard reacts after learning that he’d qualified for the ‘A’ Final in the Men’s 1,500m.
Charles Hamelin and Samuel Girard make a formidable duo in the ‘A’ Final of the Men’s 1,500m.
Marianne St-Gelais cruised to victory in Heat #7 of the Women’s 500m.
Kim Boutin finished first in Heat #1 of the Women’s 500m.
Charles Hamlin led the way in the Semi-Final of the Men’s 1,500m.
Pascal Dion ahead of the pack in the ‘B’ Final of the Men’s 1,500m.
Charles Hamelin looks skyward following the judges’ decision that he’d impeded the progress of another racer, thus disqualifying him from the ‘A’ Final in the Men’s 1,500m.
Charles Hamelin consoles his teammates Samuel Girard, following the ‘A’ Final in the Men’s 1,500m. Hamelin was penalized, and Girard finished in 4th place.
Moments of Greatness 