The arrival terminals at airports in Toronto and Montreal were filled with cheers on Monday as fans and family gathered to give a hero害羞草研究所檚 welcome to Canadian Olympians returning home from the Paris Games with a record-breaking medal haul.

The Summer Games saw Team Canada bring home an unprecedented number of medals 害羞草研究所� nine gold and 27 in total. Both were records for Canada at a non-boycotted Summer Olympics, surpassing previous highs set in Tokyo three years ago and 1992 in Barcelona.

At Toronto害羞草研究所檚 Pearson International Airport, about 15 Team Canada athletes were greeted by flag-waving airport staff on the tarmac and elated fans and family at the arrivals gate after the Olympians touched down just before 4 p.m.

Among the arrivals was Toronto swimmer Summer McIntosh, the 17-year-old who became a household name after winning four medals, including three gold. McIntosh returned to Paris to carry the Canadian flag in the closing ceremony on Sunday alongside gold-winning hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo, B.C., an experience she called 害羞草研究所渉onestly amazing.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 say thank you enough (to the fans) for all their support. It means the absolute world,害羞草研究所� said McIntosh. 害羞草研究所淲e wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be here without them today. Even when we were over in Paris, we could feel their support.害羞草研究所�

Also among the returning athletes in Toronto was silver medallist rower Jessica Sevick, of Strathmore, Alta., who was all smiles alongside teammate Kristen Siermachesky, of New Liskeard, Ont. Sevick had lost her voice amid the ongoing celebrations, Siermachesky said, but it didn害羞草研究所檛 stop them from embracing the moment.

害羞草研究所淗ard years of hard work, and I think just being able to release that with your teammates in Paris after celebrating that silver medal was pretty special,害羞草研究所� said Siermachesky, an alternate for the women害羞草研究所檚 eights rowing team that reached the podium in the event for the second straight Games.

Swimmers Alex Axon, Ella Jansen and Lorne Wigginton also touched down in Toronto. All three made their Olympic debut in Paris, and Axon said their homecoming is an experience they害羞草研究所檒l never forget.

害羞草研究所淚t takes a whole team of people 害羞草研究所� they say it takes a village 害羞草研究所� and just looking around here, I see so many people. It害羞草研究所檚 incredible,害羞草研究所� said Axon, of Newmarket, Ont., who competed in the men害羞草研究所檚 4x200m freestyle relay but didn害羞草研究所檛 make it to the podium. 害羞草研究所淚 hope I was able to make them proud.害羞草研究所�

Skating around the arrivals terminal at Pearson airport was 14-year-old Fay De Fazio Ebert, a Toronto skateboarder who became Canada害羞草研究所檚 youngest Olympic team member since 1976. De Fazio Ebert placed 20th in her Olympic debut, and was proud that she pushed herself to try.

De Fazio Ebert said even though a part of her wanted to stay in Paris, she was happy to be home.

害羞草研究所淚t feels amazing to represent Canada and to know that a bunch of people have my back during this,害羞草研究所� she said, noting she害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渓ooking for more害羞草研究所� and will continue to work hard at improving.

At Montreal害羞草研究所檚 international airport, Sylvain Fafard was meeting his son, 25-year-old Thomas Fafard, who made it to the final for the men害羞草研究所檚 5,000-metres event. Sylvain, who was in Paris to watch Thomas run, said 害羞草研究所渋t was magic害羞草研究所� to see his son enter the stadium in Paris.

Thomas didn害羞草研究所檛 know until the end of June whether he would qualify for the Olympics, and to the joy of his family he came in eighth in the first round and made it to the final, Sylvain said.

害羞草研究所淭he final was a little harder,害羞草研究所� Sylvain said, explaining that Thomas tripped and hurt his ankle during the race.

害羞草研究所淗e said 害羞草研究所� yes the trip hurt him but it was more a mental thing that brought him out of the zone. When the mental or the physical doesn害羞草研究所檛 work at that level, it害羞草研究所檚 harder.

害羞草研究所淏ut he害羞草研究所檚 an Olympian and we are very proud of his journey.害羞草研究所�

Nathan Zsombor-Murray, from the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Claire, Que., won a bronze medal along with diving partner Rylan Wiens, from Saskatoon, Sask., in the men害羞草研究所檚 10-metre synchronized platform.

Arriving at Montr茅al-Trudeau International Airport, Zsombor-Murray wasn害羞草研究所檛 wearing his medal, telling reporters, 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 like to flaunt; I害羞草研究所檓 a humble person.害羞草研究所�

He said the medal was in his suitcase, and that he would find a place to hang it at home.

After failing to win a medal in the individual men害羞草研究所檚 10-metre platform, the 21-year-old said: 害羞草研究所淚 wasn害羞草研究所檛 super happy 害羞草研究所� but I always try to learn from my experience.害羞草研究所�

Now that the Games are over, he said he feels 害羞草研究所渁 little jaded.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been an incredible ride and I am incredibly blessed to have had that experience. But after a month away from home it害羞草研究所檚 hard not to get homesick.害羞草研究所�

But he said there is a good chance he害羞草研究所檒l try and make it back to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games.

害羞草研究所淚s there another Games in me? I think there is. I害羞草研究所檓 going to take some time to reflect on what I want to do. I害羞草研究所檓 also studying. I will take a good break and focus on my studies for a bit now and then come back and see where it will take me.害羞草研究所�

Caeli McKay, a Calgary diver who competed in the women害羞草研究所檚 10-metre platform and the women害羞草研究所檚 synchronized 10-metre platform, said it was a thrill to see her supporters in the stands during these Games, unlike last time at the Tokyo Olympics, when the COVID-19 pandemic kept the crowds away.

害羞草研究所淏eing in Tokyo a few years ago and not having anyone there to support us was kind of hard,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗aving everyone there this time and having a big cheerleading group was just really amazing, and being able to look up into the stands after my last dive was something really special.害羞草研究所�

Another memorable aspect of Paris is the fact her husband, former Olympic diver Vincent Riendeau, was part of her cheering squad.

害羞草研究所淚t was special to have him there and it was his first Olympics as a spectator. It was cool experience for him and obviously nice to have the support of an Olympic husband.害羞草研究所�

Cedrick Belony-Duliepre, who lives on Montreal害羞草研究所檚 South Shore, is Canadian but chose to represent Haiti in Paris to honour his grandparents, who are from the Caribbean country. His family members were at the airport to greet him.

Belony-Duliepre lost in the round of 16 in men害羞草研究所檚 80-kg boxing, but said his time in Paris 害羞草研究所渨as an amazing experience. It was my dream.

害羞草研究所淚 worked so hard, since the age of 15, I害羞草研究所檓 now 25 and it害羞草研究所檚 been 10 years that I害羞草研究所檝e worked so hard, that it害羞草研究所檚 been my dream. Every day I worked for this 害羞草研究所� I made sacrifices, with the highs and lows I never let go.害羞草研究所�

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