Locals get Olympic send-off

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on July 9, 2024.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Kacie Bosch and Paige Crozon, 3x3 basketball athletes representing Canada in the 2024 Olympic Summer Games, take part in a pick up game with members of the community after an Olympic send-off ceremony Monday at Legacy Park.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge Sport Council celebrated 11 athletes, officials, coaches, and mission staff with a Lethbridge connection who will represent Canada at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games with a media send-off Monday.

During a small ceremony on Monday morning at Legacy Park, Susan Eymann, executive director of Lethbridge Sport Council, recognized the group who will represent Lethbridge at the Olympics and shared her excitement and pride in\ those in attendance. Two basketball players and their families were among them.

“Having such a diverse set of roles is just incredible, it really goes to show that the sport community is made-up of so many more people than the athletes that we typically see at the forefront,” said Eymann to reporters after the ceremony concluded.

This is because apart from the athletes competing, others will play different roles as well. Lawrence Steinke as Athletics Coach, Mike Tamura as Judo sport director, Micheal Barwegen as soccer official, Ryan Sommer as mission staff and Jon Koopmans as broadcast engineer.

The athletes representing Lethbridge in Paris include Kacie Bosch and Paige Crozon in 3×3 Basketball, sisters Christa and Kelly Deguchi in judo, Apollo Hess in swimming and Sarah Orban in track cycling.

They are part of the Canadian delegation, which includes 314 athletes. Approximately 10,500 athletes from more than 206 national Olympic committees are expected to participate in the Games.

Bosch and Crozon were in attendance at the ceremony and they spoke to reporters before joining a few community members in a friendly basketball game.

Crozon said this is her first Olympic Games and she is super excited, especially after trying to qualify for the Tokyo Games in 2020.

“There were some rules at the time that prevented us from going, so now this will be the first time a 3×3 team from Canada will be playing in the Olympics,” said Crozon.

She said it has been a surreal experience and she looks forward to representing Canada, Lethbridge and her home province of Saskatchewan since she is from Humboldt.

“It’s been amazing to celebrate the success with my family, my communities that I belong to and just receive so many messages and so much love from everyone,” said Crozon.

She said her whole family is going to be there, including her sister, parents, her daughter and brother-in-law.

“Everyone that’s involved in sport knows the sacrifices that are required from our families to get to this point, so to be in that moment and to share it with the people that have supported me all along is going to be so exciting,” said Crozon.

Bosch agrees with Crozon in how important family and friends have been throughout her career and she is also excited to share her Olympic Games experience with those closest to her.

“I have a full group of people going to Paris. I’ve got my dad, my step mom, my mom, my step dad, my older brother and 10 of my friends are also coming,” said Bosch.

When it comes to the experience itself, Bosch said it feels surreal as it is her first time participating in the Olympic games, especially now that they are only 10 days away from going to training camp and 13 days from the big event.

“I’m so excited to be able to go and represent Canada and represent the community of Lethbridge and everybody who’s helped us get there,” said Bosch.

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