害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 up to the gods now.害羞草研究所�

Those were the six words Bev Priestman, head coach of Canada害羞草研究所檚 national women害羞草研究所檚 soccer team, leaned in and said to longtime equipment manager 害羞草研究所� and Semiahmoo Peninsula resident 害羞草研究所� Maeve Glass, in the moments before the penalty shootout began between Canada and Sweden in the final match at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

The two teams had already battled in sweltering heat at Yokohama Stadium for 120 minutes, each scoring once. Now, a gold medal would be determined by penalty kicks.

And though the shootout took an agonizing six rounds to decide, the soccer deities Priestman had invoked ultimately looked favourably on the Canadians, who won on a strike from 20-year-old Vancouver native Julia Grosso, who was still in elementary school when Glass 害羞草研究所� the former president of Peace Arch Soccer 害羞草研究所� made her Olympic debut with the Canadian squad at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 still on Cloud 9害羞草研究所� it hasn害羞草研究所檛 really sunk in yet. It was absolutely amazing,害羞草研究所� Glass told Peace Arch News Wednesday, just two days after arriving home.

That gold-medal match was watched by 害羞草研究所� including many on the West Coast, who woke up at 5 a.m. to tune in 害羞草研究所� and though viewers were no doubt on pins and needles for much of the morning, Glass insisted the team was cool and collected until that final goal.

However, once Grosso scored, 害羞草研究所渋t was like an out-of-body experience.害羞草研究所�

Before Grosso害羞草研究所檚 goal, the Swedish captain had sailed her penalty kick attempt high above the Canadian net. Glass, standing next to Priestman 害羞草研究所� also a resident of the Semiahmoo Peninsula 害羞草研究所� said only one thing, a statement of fact to those standing near her.

害羞草研究所淲e were all quite calm. I just said, 害羞草研究所業f Julia scores, we win.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The Swedish goalkeeper got a hand on Grosso害羞草研究所檚 shot, but rather than deflect the ball up over the net, it stayed under bar to seal the victory.

害羞草研究所淛ulia turned around after she scored, and Bev ran past me like a 100-metre sprinter,害羞草研究所� Glass laughed. 害羞草研究所淚t was just so overwhelming.害羞草研究所�

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Glass insisted that the most tense moment of the Olympic tournament for her wasn害羞草研究所檛 the gold-medal game, but actually the quarter-final match against Brazil 害羞草研究所� a game that also came down to penalty kicks, with Canada winning 4-3.

That victory set up a dramatic semifinal rematch against the No. 1-ranked United States team, who famously defeated Canada in the semifinals of the 2012 Olympics thanks to a controversial penalty call that cost Canada a shot at gold. They finished with bronze 害羞草研究所� the first medals in Olympic history for Canadian soccer 害羞草研究所� though the pain of the semifinal loss lingered.

Speaking with PAN at the time, Glass said the team was

This time around, however, the longtime equipment manager 害羞草研究所� whose history with the Olympics dates back to 1976 when, as a 16-year-old, she took part in the torch relay at the Montreal-hosted Games 害羞草研究所� knew Canada would come out on top, which they did, 1-0, thanks to a Jessie Fleming penalty kick.

害羞草研究所淚 just had a calm about that game. I just had a feeling we were going to win,害羞草研究所� she said.

Just keep saying it until it sinks in! are Olympic Gold Medallists! 馃崄馃��

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Though she was thrilled to be part of a gold-medal winner, Glass 害羞草研究所� whose mother, longtime Surrey school trustee Pam Glass, competed for Ireland at the 1948 Olympics as a runner 害羞草研究所� was happiest for the players she has known for years, like Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair and two of the team害羞草研究所檚 youngest players, Gross and , both of whom Glass has known since the pair were just 12 years old.

Hours after the gold-medal game ended, Glass and Grosso had a moment to reflect on what had just happened.

害羞草研究所淚 was riding up the elevator with Julia害羞草研究所� and I said to her, 害羞草研究所榊ou guys, this is going to change your life in such a good way, you just have no idea.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

While the Tokyo Olympics were a unique experience even for Olympic veterans due to COVID-19 protocols 害羞草研究所� there were countless COVID-19 tests, no fans in attendance and Olympians were only allowed to be in Japan a few days before their event, then were ushered home almost immediately after 害羞草研究所� Glass said the Games were still incredible.

害羞草研究所淎fter the semifinal, we got to go into the Olympic Village 害羞草研究所� we hadn害羞草研究所檛 been there yet, we weren害羞草研究所檛 staying there. I think for a lot of the newcomers, the first-time Olympians, that害羞草研究所檚 when it really started to feel like the Olympics,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been to five Olympics now, and this village was one of the best I害羞草研究所檝e been to. You have to hand it to the Japanese 害羞草研究所� in really, really difficult circumstances, they pulled it off and it was amazing.害羞草研究所�

Back home in South Surrey, Glass is still battling jet lag and a little bit of a 害羞草研究所渟urreal害羞草研究所� feeling, knowing she was a part of such a historic moment for Canadian soccer. She noted that Priestman has also had to adjust since returning.

害羞草研究所淚 talked to Bev yesterday and she said everywhere she goes 害羞草研究所� she was down at White Rock beach 害羞草研究所� people are stopping her and congratulating her,害羞草研究所� Glass explained. 害羞草研究所淪he said she害羞草研究所檚 went out for dinner a couple times and nobody will let her pay. I just told her to enjoy it, because she害羞草研究所檚 worked her backside off for it.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very cool.害羞草研究所�

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