From left, 2018 Olympic Mixed Doubles Curling Gold Medalists Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris.
Photo Credit: Canadian Olympic Committee.
John Morris, a Lakeland College Emergency Training Centre Alumni, won a 2018 Olympic Gold Medal for Curling Mixed Doubles in Pyeongchang, Korea on February 13.
The win made teammates Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes the first curlers to bear two Olympic Gold Medals; his first acquired in Vancouver - 2010, and hers in Sochi - 2014.
Instructor, Ed Gadbois, remembers Morris from when he completed the Firefighter Training Program in 2006 and was named Lakeland’s Distinguished Alumnus in 2011.
According to Gadbois, during Morris’ course in Vermilion, he had asked for a Friday off of classes.
“Because of the itinerary of the course being so demanding, I recommended that it only be for something special. He assured me it was, and the time was granted. On the weekend I found out that he was curling with Kevin Martin, and when he returned the following week, I asked him, ‘Why didn’t you tell me who you were?’ We had a little laugh about it, and things carried on,” said Gadbois.
Morris and Lawes attended the medal ceremony on February 14, and according to their “Team Canada Pyeongchang 2018 Blog: Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris” on February 13 said, “It was wonderful to get out there on the ice and hear the crowd cheering, and know there was so much support for us at home!”
Also stated on the blog, team members stayed involved in Pyeongchang by cheering for fellow Team Canada curlers.
According to Gadbois, both Morris and Ben Hebert (Men’s Curling Team Canada Lead) took fire training in Vermilion. He noted that an ‘A’ personality type is required for both fire training and Olympic training.
“These are the best of the best. It’s awesome, it’s the Olympics, we’re 4-0, and I’ve got a big smile on my face going into tomorrow,” said Hebert in his “Team Canada Pyeongchang 2018 Blog: Ben Hebert,” on February 16.
Men's Curling Team Canada Lead, Ben Hebert, who is a past teammate of Morris' and a fellow Vermilion Lakeland Emergency Training Centre Alumni. Photo Credit: Canadian Olympic Committee.