Olympic Speed Skater, Kristina Groves visited St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer on Friday to chat with students and to put faces to the names that she has been corresponding with over the last several months. The two-time Silver Medalist (1500 metre and Team Pursuit) has been pen pals with the Grade One and Two classes at St. Anne since the fall of this year. Kristina has been corresponding with the students on a regular basis teaching them about her exciting sport, and her training.

From the onset of her arrival at the Sudbury Airport at 8:25 a.m. last Friday, Kristina spent the entire day with the St. Anne Catholic School students. Her itinerary included an introduction to the school community followed by skating at the Tom Davies arena in Lively and meeting with the entire student body in the late afternoon before returning to her hometown of Ottawa.

When asked by a Grade Two student why she decided to take up speed skating, Katrina replied that, “It was Gaeten Boucher, a Canadian Olympic speed skater in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary that first inspired me to become a speed skater. From the minute I saw him skate I knew that I wanted to do what he had done . . . I wanted to fly on ice . . . my dream was to compete in the Olympics for Canada some day and bring back a medal. So although I was only eleven years old, I went home and told my mom that I wanted to take up speed skating . . . eighteen years later at the age of 29, I was lucky enough to be presented with not one but two silver medals in Turin. Never give up on your dream,” stated Groves to a captivated audience. “With enough passion, dedication and commitment, dreams can come true.”

Groves’ presentation to the students included a slide show of her stay and competition at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, as well as an overview of the equipment, and training required in order to become a speed skater, followed by a question and answer period.

Olympic athlete Kristina Groves has given the Grade One and Two class at St. Anne School a reason to cheer a little louder for Canada in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Kristina Groves is a Speed Skater with whom the children have been Pen Pals since the fall.

“Along with speed skating, she has been teaching us about the importance of always trying your best, eating properly and taking care of your body. It is so nice of her to take time away from such a busy schedule and make them feel a bit more special”.

To make sure that Kristina was not lonely on Valentine’s Day, the children made her cards and pictures. They also sent her a good luck bracelet and a banner that they made to cheer her on. The students were thrilled to hear that she had qualified for the 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and the Team Pursuit.

They created posters to be posted around the school and flags to cheer with while watching her at school. During the Olympics the students will be giving a morning news report to update everyone on Canada’s medal standings.