Kaetlyn Osmond arrives home in N.L. to a rousing welcome
It was an emotional homecoming on Thursday at St. John's International Airport, as Newfoundland and Labrador's newest Olympic medalist, Kaetlyn Osmond arrived in her home province.
Osmond was warmly welcomed by members of her family, friends, politicians and dozens of cheering fans. She arrived wearing the silver medal she won at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Osmond was the only athlete from this province to compete in Sochi, and assisted Canada in earning a silver medal in the team event.
Osmond thanked the crowd on Thursday morning and said that her skating and now-famous smile are fuelled by moments like these.
"It gives me pride just to represent everyone here. It shows in my skating, [and] the more support I get, the better I skate and the happier I feel, and the bigger that smile gets," she said.
There's a full weekend of celebrations planned in Osmond's honour, in her hometown of Marystown. Festivities will culminate with an ice show at the arena where Osmond first laced up her skates.
It's a homecoming that Osmond said she can't wait to begin.
"It's going to feel weird to go back to where it all began, especially after this," she said.
"Coming back from the Olympics is going to feel like a real journey and I'm really excited to be a part of that again."
Osmond, 18, has been living in Alberta for the past eight years.