Hike to Oly funding ‘a good start’

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This article was published 05/03/2010 (5776 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE federal government gets a round of applause but no gold medal for boosting funding to elite athletes, says one Manitoba Olympian.

"That is awesome, but still not enough to do the names of the programs justice," said Jon Montgomery, the men’s skeleton gold medallist who hails from Russell.

"I think the federal money is great, but the gap between where we are at and where we need to be needs to come from somewhere. Hopefully, companies are encouraged by the reaction Canada is having to these Games and align themselves with amateur summer and winter sports."

Montgomery was motoring down Calgary’s Crowfoot Trail when he heard Ottawa will double the Own the Podium organization’s budget, which helps fund Winter Olympians. Own the Podium will see its core annual federal funding doubled to $22 million despite fears the cash would dry up now that the Vancouver 2010 Games are over.

Elite summer athletes will get a boost, too. Their program, called Road to Excellence, will see another $6 million annually tacked onto its current federal contribution of $36 million as it prepares for the 2012 Games in London.

That’s an extra $17 million a year for the next two years for Canada’s would-be gold medallists and it’s on top of the $47 million the government already spends on the two programs.

But Montgomery said for athletes like him, the cash could just be a "road to mediocrity" and Canada wouldn’t "own" many podiums unless more is forthcoming.

"We can be the best, we just need to find the money to make it happen and today was a good start," he said.

In his budget speech, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty basked in the biggest-ever Canadian medal haul at a Winter Games.

"Let us take them as our models, a reminder of what we are made of, what Canadians can achieve," he said. "Our future is reflected in their medals."

Jennifer Botterill, a member of Canada’s gold-medal-winning women’s hockey team and a Winnipegger, called it an exciting day for amateur sports.

"It’s hard for the reality of the Olympics to sink in, but I think what the athletes take away is that amazing support and how a country can really rally around its athletes," said Botterill, who was on Parliament Hill wearing her latest gold medal Thursday.

— with files fromThe Canadian Press

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca