Just a few months after standing atop the Olympic podium, members of Canada's gold medal-winning men's curling team traded the ice for the midway as they reunited at the Calgary Stampede.
Olympic champions Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert and coach Paul Webster reunited at the Calgary Stampede, while teammate Brett Gallant was unable to attend. The group spent the day exploring Stampede Park, taking in the rodeo and sharing Canada's 2026 Olympic gold medal with visitors.
For vice-skip Marc Kennedy, it marked his first visit to the Calgary Stampede in two decades.
"It's been an amazing day. The weather's perfect, the rodeo was amazing," Kennedy said. "It's just been a proud day to be an Albertan. We love Calgary, and it's just been fantastic."
While winning Olympic gold was the culmination of years of dedication, Kennedy says one of the greatest rewards has come long after the final stone was thrown.
"Honestly, that's the best part about winning a gold medal, is the opportunity to share it with everyday Canadians and Calgarians," he said. "People are usually really excited to see it. They can't believe how heavy it is."
Many visitors told the team they felt connected to the victory after cheering them on throughout the Games.
"A lot of people feel like they were a part of that medal. They watched it, they rooted for us," Kennedy said. "It's really special for us to share it with Canadians."
The Calgary Stampede also provided the perfect setting for the team to reconnect after a whirlwind few months following their Olympic triumph.
Because the players live in different cities, opportunities to gather as a full team have been rare. The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth offered the ideal backdrop to reunite, catch up and even begin looking ahead to the next curling season.
"We haven't seen each other a lot since we won the gold medal," Kennedy said. "What better place than The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth? A chance to have some fun together, share the medal with a whole bunch of people and just have some fun."
"It's been a wonderful place for us to get together and also start maybe making some plans for the next season," he added. "This was the perfect time of year and the perfect opportunity to get together."
For Stampede guests, it was a rare opportunity to meet Olympic champions, hold one of Canada's newest gold medals and celebrate a memorable moment in Canadian sport — all while enjoying another unforgettable day at the Calgary Stampede.
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