Olympic Torch Relay visits Greater Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara Area

The Olympic Torch Relay passed through the greater Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara area December 19 and December 20 - days 51 and 52 of its 106-day journey across Canada.  In total the Olympic Flame will travel 45,000 kilometres over 106 days and visit every Province and Territory in Canada. The flame will be carried by some 12,000 torchbearers leading to the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, signaling the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games on February 12, 2010.

Dr. Ron Foxcroft, Vice-Chair of the HSC Board of Governors, Chair of the Transformation HSC campaign and current parent, carried the Olympic torch on the final 300 metres anchor leg of the relay to the ceremony at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton on December 19 2009. On December 21st Dr. Foxcroft graciously shared his Olympic experience with other Hamiltonians in support of CHML’s Tree of Hope.  For a $5 donation to the Tree of Hope (matched by Arcelor Mittal Dofasco), members of the community had their picture taken with Ron and the Olympic torch.

HSC parent, Dr. Nick Bontis also had the privilege of carrying the Olympic torch in downtown Hamilton on Main Street on Sunday morning December 20 at 8:13 a.m. A former athlete, having competed nationally and internationally in both soccer and track & field, and a national silver medalist in the running long jump, Dr. Bontis was selected to carry the torch because of his volunteerism with local youth sports.  He is a coach for outdoor soccer, indoor soccer and basketball.  All of the Bontis’ children (Charlie – 6, Dino – 5, Tia Maria – 3) are HSC students as well as soccer and basketball players.

“It was a wonderful experience to share with my family made extra special because the flame itself was actually lit near the ancestral home of my mother in Greece”.

In the photo: Dr. Bontis’ three kids, his wife Stacy, Nick and both sets of grandparents! 

Olympian, Colin Jenkins (son of June Jenkins, Senior School Secretary) also participated in the relay on Sunday, December 21 carrying the torch in Niagara Falls. Colin is a triathlete and represented Canada in the Beijing Triathlon Olympic event.  At the Beijing Games Colin’s goal was to help his friend and training partner, Simon Whitfield. As Whitfield's designated domestique, Jenkins’s job at these Olympics was to help put the winner of the triathlon gold eight years ago in Sydney back on the podium. It was a cause to which the 25-year-old — a strong swimmer and biker, but lousy runner — dedicated himself to wholeheartedly! When the Hamilton, Ontario triathlete entered the stadium for the last lap of the 10-km run he looked up at the scoreboard and saw Simon Whitfield running with the front of the pack. Whitfield won the silver medal, and Colin played a huge role in securing Canada’s 10th medal of the Beijing Games.

To learn more about the Olympic Torch relay visit, http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/