| Summerside native Heather Moyse, left, with her bobsled partner Helen Upperton at a recent competition. Moyse will carry the Olympic torch into Summerside's Credit Union Place this Sunday to kick off a community celebration in the city, part of the cross-canada torch relay which will culminate at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics this February. Moyse and Upperton competed together in the two-person bobsled at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy and finished fourth. Submitted photo | ||
The Journal Pioneer
SUMMERSIDE – Heather Moyse almost gave up her chance to carry the Olympic torch – twice.
The 31-year-old Summerside native will carry the flame onto the grounds of Credit Union Place this Sunday to kick off a community celebration in the city.
Moyse, who competed in the two-person bobsled in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, thought she’d have to pass on the chance so she could focus on qualifying for the 2010 Games.
“I actually started brainstorming about other names for the relay who might be able to represent what Summerside is all about,” said Moyse from Lake Placid, N.Y., where Canadian bobsled hopefuls are prepping for a competition Saturday. “Then we got our tour schedule and this happened to be the one week they’ve allowed us to come home for a few days. It just happened to work out.”
Thousands of Canadians across the country were selected randomly or handpicked by the Olympic committee to run a leg with the torch. But others won’t get the honour.
One such person was Canadian speed skater Kristina Groves, who blogged about her disappointment in missing the chance to run a leg of the relay.
“When I read that, I was very close to writing to tell her to carry my leg of the torch run since it meant so much to her,” said Moyse.
But the idea of bearing the symbol of the Games in her hometown won out.
“Carrying the torch into my city is not just about me, it’s about all the people I’m representing and helping to create that passion and excitement about the Olympics,” she said.
On her own blog, Moyse wrote that she’s trying not to look forward to the Vancouver Olympics – she won’t know if she’s qualified for those Games until mid-January.
There are eight races in the team’s season, including six in Europe in December. Moyse’s position as brake person won’t be assured until after those competitions.
Still, with her parents, Cyril and Sharon, and other family members looking on this weekend in Summerside, Moyse will have no regrets about carrying the torch, whether she makes it to Vancouver or not.
“It’s an honour as an Olympian to be able to carry the torch and it’s not about these upcoming Games for me,” said Moyse.
“When you do these things you see a lot of old friends and your family and people who helped get me where I am today.”
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