Preparations are currently being made to honor Whitby’s two Olympians when they return home later this month.
While most of the attention has been focused on Anne Ottenbrite, the 18-year-old Lyndeview Dr. resident who earned three medals in the women’s swimming competition last week, another local resident, Glenn Beauchamp is also being touted for a medal in the men’s judo competition.
In addition to her gold medal in the 200-metre breaststroke, Ottenbrite will also bring home a silver medal for the 100-metre breaststroke and a bonze medal as part of Canada’s winning four by 100 medley relay team.
In fact, Ottenbrite and her teammates-Reema Aldo of Belleville, Ont., Michelle MacPherson of Toronto and Pam Rai of Delta, B.C., - set a Canadian record for the four by 100-metre relay with a time of 4:12.98, just one second back of the second place West German team and just four seconds behind the gold medal winning American squad. Last Thursday (Aug. 1) just 24 hours before picking up the bronze at the Los Angeles Olympics, Ottenbrite garnered the silver medal in the 100-metre breaststroke with a time of 1:10.69, one one-hundredth of a second faster than Catherine Porot of France. In fact, the national media reported that Ottenbrite did not look like a medal winner at the beginning of the race, but soon found her stroke, gaining speed to charge past everyone except Petra Van Staveren of Holland who broke the Olympic record to win the gold medal in this event.
Mayor Bob Attersley said Monday morning (Aug. 6) that the town will hold a parade in honor of both Ottenbrite and Beauchamp. The festivities, which will probably include a reception at the Iroquois Park Arena, are tentatively set for Aug. 25.
Attersley said that Ottenbrite is scheduled to compete in the Canadian national championship immediately following the Olympics, and all festivities being held in her honor will be held after that event.
The festivities will also be delayed, the mayor added, so that her long-time coach, Paul Meronen, can also be present.
Regional Councillor Gerry Emm has suggested that he will propose that any new recreation facility to be constructed in Whitby be named Ottenbrite. He pointed out that the town is currently studying the recommendations of a consultant who says that millions in improvements are needed to bring Iroquois Park up to the recreational standards enjoyed in other communities.
GLENN BEAUCHAMP
While Ottenbrite has been the toast of the town for the last week, Attersley, himself a former Olympian, having been on the silver medal winning Canada hockey team during the 1960 Winter Olympics, said that Beauchamp’s efforts shouldn’t be forgotten, even if he doesn’t win a medal.
“Just being on the Olympic team means you’re the best in Canada”, he said. “And that’s no mean feat.”
Editor’s note: Beauchamp was defeated in his 71 kilogram class bout Monday night (Aug. 6) and is out of the running for a medal in the Olympic judo completion.
