'Tears of joy': Olympic gold medallist Derek Drouin's family still cheering in Azilda
'This is what he's worked so hard for,' says uncle Norm Therrien
If Derek Drouin listened closely enough, he might have heard his family cheering for him all the way from Greater Sudbury.
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Drouin, 26, won gold in high jump at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday, bringing Canada's medal total to 14.
Norm Therrien was glued to the television in Azilda, Ont., to watch his nephew soar to gold medal heights.
"[It was] incredible," Therrien said of watching Drouin. "We're super-pumped, we're super-excited, and we're really, really, proud of him. I mean, this is what he's worked so hard for."
Therrien was so proud that he fought back "tears of joy" in an interview with Radio-Canada.
"He had injuries, so he combated his injuries to bring this excellent performance ... we're so very proud of him."
Drouin is from Corunna, Ont., but his father grew up in Azilda, Ont., and his grandparents and other extended family still live there.
La famille du médaillé d'or olympique <a href="https://twitter.com/ddrouin10">@ddrouin10</a> trinque à sa victoire! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/onrc?src=hash">#onrc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/sMUkLRfXCX">pic.twitter.com/sMUkLRfXCX</a>
—@FredProjeanRCLa famille de derek drouin prête pour la grande finale, a Azilda <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/icino?src=hash">#icino</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rio2016?src=hash">#rio2016</a> <a href="https://t.co/lCTgT8PAqG">pic.twitter.com/lCTgT8PAqG</a>
—@FredProjeanRC