Walking into the stadium into what Craig Thorne describes as a “concrete box,” he could feel his heart rate firing and his stomach in his throat.
It was quiet. But as he inched closer to the entrance, the noise got louder and louder.
“Then when you step out, it’s just, it’s a lot to take in. It’s really emotional,” said the 23-year-old Olympian from Quispamsis.
“It doesn’t even make any sense, like, it’s going to be very hard to replicate that at other competitions.
“It’s magical.”
Thorne competed in the men’s 110m hurdles, where he came fifth in the repechage round, which is a second chance for athletes to qualify for a semifinal, but he didn’t advance. And while he was disappointed by that result, the entire experience was an exciting one.
Thorne said it’s natural to have highs and lows, and the Olympic Games provoke a roller-coaster of emotions.
One of his lows came just two days before he was set to compete. He broke his hand while training when he hit it on a hurdle. The athletics therapy team stepped in immediately to X-ray his hand and help with pain management.
Thorne said that before going to the Olympics, he was warned about how chaotic it can be in the athletes’ village.
He described it like a large camp, with activities and lots of different types of food.
He said his teammates and other athletes were supportive of each other, and he found support from people in New Brunswick.
“It just feels so fun to share this moment with everyone back home,” he said.
“The congratulations and the, ‘We got up early to watch you.’ It’s just that stuff, you know, it sticks with you.”
Jill Irving of Moncton also felt an overwhelming sense of support during her time at the Games.
The 61-year-old dressage athlete was pulled from the competition ahead of the Olympics after it was determined at the end of pre-Games training that her horse, Delacroix, was not fit to compete.
Instead, Irving attended as an alternate with her horse, Genesis.
She said although the decision was heartbreaking, it was an easy one since the welfare of the horses is paramount.
Other athletes were also rushing to support her after the news came about Delacroix.
“I have such amazing support around the world,” she said. “The other international athletes came over to me, and they had tears in their eyes. They were so sad for me. They know I’m not young.
“[I had] competitors back in Canada telling me how sorry they were, and it was genuine, and that needs to be seen and heard in our sport — that we really care about each other. You know, for sure, we’re competitive, but at the end of the day, you don’t wish any bad luck upon anybody.”
Irving said one of the more difficult parts was that her 82-year-old mother and several of her friends from Sudbury, Ont., and Moncton, came to watch her perform. But once they arrived, they were completely understanding of the situation.
Now, the journey of what’s next begins for both Thorne and Irving.
Thorne will be staying in Europe a little longer after having participated in the closing ceremonies on Sunday.
He plans to take some time to show his parents around and rest his hand. In mid-September, he hopes to get back to training in preparation for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
And Los Angeles 2028 is in the back of his mind, even though it’s four years away.
“I got a taste of it this time and … you kind of get hooked,” he said.
Irving, too, is looking forward to qualifying for the 2028 Olympics. At this point, she said training keeps her on the right track, and she isn’t ready for retirement.
“I think it’s really important after a Games to have a goal, whether the goal is to take on a new passion, whatever it is, you should have a goal,” she said.
“And knowing that I’m going to try for L.A., and my husband [and] my family’s like, ‘Yeah, what the heck.'”
Brooklyn Douthwright of Riverview also competed in the Paris Games and previously told CBC News that she set a new personal best.
New Brunswick will soon see five other provincial athletes on the main stage in Paris.
Swimmer Danielle Dorris of Moncton, triathlete Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, wheelchair basketball players Colin Higgins of Rothesay and Desiree Isaac-Pictou of Ugpi’ganjig, near Dalhousie, and cyclist Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis are to compete in this year’s Paralympic Games.
The Paralympics start in Paris on Aug. 28.
This story was originally published in CBC News on Aug. 12, 2024.
Hannah Rudderham Portfolio 