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November 24, 2009
Unforgettable experience for VNB VP Monica Hitchcock in 2010 Olympic Torch Relay
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DIEPPE, N.B. – Canadian volleyball Olympian Monica Hitchcock of St. John, N.B., won’t soon forget her participation in the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay on Monday evening in Dieppe, N.B.

“It brought back some great memories from when I competed at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles,” said Hitchcock, who was recently on the Team New Brunswick mission staff for the Canada Games in PEI. “It was also great to see the excitement of the other torch bearers in the van we were traveling in before we got dropped off. We shared some great stories.”

Hitchcock took the torch at 5:24 p.m. and ran for 300-metres in nice but chilly weather. “It was over in a blink,” she said. “I tried to not go too fast and gave some high fives to the fans along the way. It was exciting.”

Organizers from the Vancouver Olympic Committee estimated the crowd at the brand new Stade Moncton at 12,000, the largest so far on the Flames’ 106-day journey across Canada.

Hitchcock had initially applied for the relay through the RBC\Coca-Cola promotion but did not get a spot. However the Canadian Olympic Committee offered up its spots to former Olympians and Hitchcock’s name was drawn. She made herself available to run anywhere in New Brunswick and drove two hours to Dieppe to take her spot.

Hitchcock was a national team member from 1977 to 1983. She also competed at one world championship and three Pan Am Games and World University Games. She was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Three other Canadian Olympic volleyball players will be also participate in the Torch Relay later as it criss-crosses the nation over the next few months culminating with the lighting of the Olympic flame at the Vancouver\Whistler Winter Games.

They are: Terry Gagnon of Edmonton of the 1992 Olympic men’s team who’ll run in Windermere, B.C., on January 22, Paul Gratton of Ottawa of the 1984 Olympic men’s team who’ll run January 3 in Thunder Bay, Ont., and Lori-Ann Mundt of Winnipeg of the 1996 women’s Olympic team who’ll run January 9 in her birthplace Yorkton, Sask.

“It brings back the whole fever of the Olympics,” said Hitchcock. “The players are going to enjoy it tremendously. It promotes unity, friendship and health.”

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