Despite early defeat, wrestler Linda Morais says her first Olympics were 'absolutely incredible'
Morais lost her first — and what turned out to be her only — match of the games to Nigerian Blessing Oborududu
As wrestler Linda Morais of Tecumseh, Ont., made her way to the mat in Paris, she was filled with excitement. Passing under the stands from the warm-up area to the Olympic stage, Morais was completely surrounded by the thunder of a cheering crowd above her.
"Just before my match … a French girl [was] competing. So the crowd was going nuts and they were all stomping their feet," Morais told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge. "It was so loud … I got the chills."
Though Morais's Olympic debut only lasted about six minutes and ended in defeat, the 31-year-old athlete says her time in Paris has been nothing short of amazing.
"It's absolutely incredible. This experience has definitely surpassed any of my expectations," said Morais.
Morais lost her first — and what turned out to be her only — match of the games on Monday to Nigerian Blessing Oborududu.
The Ontario wrestler's mom, France Morais, said she had tears in her eyes as her daughter stepped onto the Olympic mat for the first time.
"I was pretty nervous. Just trying to breathe," she said. "This meant so much to her to, like, reach the pinnacle of her sport. [It's] something she's worked so hard and so long for."
And Morais had lots of loved ones around to cheer her up after the loss — 25 friends and family members total, in fact.
"As soon as I stepped off the mat, I was able to hear them [cheering]," Morais said. "I looked up and I just saw so many red shirts in the crowd, and it was just very heartwarming."
"Having all … my family and friends in the stands really made my trip that much more special."
WATCH: CBC Windsor's Meg Robertson speaks with Paris-bound athletes from the Windsor area
Morais's match
The Canadian scored the first two points against her opponent on Monday before Nigeria's Oborududu, who won a silver medal in the Tokyo 2021 games, came back to score eight more.
Morais had wrestled and lost against Oborududu before at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In that competition, Oborududu beat Morais 5-1 to take gold at the games.
Going into the competition, Morais says she knew it would be a tough match. "I knew she was a tough opponent — very, very strong, and very aggressive," says Morais.
"So I was just trying to go in [and] wrestle my match with the style that I like to wrestle. But unfortunately, it just wasn't my day."
Morais still says she thinks it was within her power to beat Oborududu, but she's nonetheless "so proud of what I got."
But Morais wasn't out just yet — if Oborududu made it all the way to the finals, Morais would still have a shot at a bronze medal. "Then you're now cheering on your opponent and you're really hoping that they make it to the finals," Morais said.
The Nigerian won her next match before losing in the semifinals and taking Morais out of the competition.
"It is like a gut punch because you're really hoping to get back in and get another chance," Morais said of the moment she learned her first Olympics were over. "But it is sport and … nothing's guaranteed."
Morais plans to stay in Paris for a few more days, enjoying French food and the rest of the games.
"I look forward to cheering on Team Canada," Morais said.
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With files from Windsor Morning