Liam Hickey returns home to N.L. with a silver medal from Beijing

This yr, it all arrived down to the remaining game among Canada and the U.S. — once more. Four yrs in the past, Crew Canada suffered a 2-1 defeat in the gold medal activity in opposition to the U.S. in PyeongChang. 

The St. John’s-dependent Hickey stated he feels his crew performed well all through the match this yr. 

“We had a good deal of young men on the team at their 1st Paralympics and definitely, we failed to conclude up with the end result we required,” he explained.

The Americans defeated the Canadians 5- in the gold-medal activity this 12 months for their fourth straight Paralympic title.

“It was a tough one particular to shed,” Hickey stated. He said he feels it was Staff Canada’s most effective activity of the tournament, specially in the very first interval. 

“The score, in my belief, failed to truly mirror how the sport went,” he explained.

“But, they’re a robust team and they capitalized on their probabilities. And I imagine we gave them a number of way too a lot of.”

Irrespective of his initial disappointment, Hickey claimed it was still a particular expertise to win yet another medal. 

“In the minute when you eliminate a huge video game like that, you happen to be not truly pondering about the point that you even now are taking house an Olympic medal or Paralympic medal,” Hickey stated. 

“Now that I have had a couple times to reflect on that, it truly is an remarkable experience. And to be able to deliver that back to my friends and family members in this article at dwelling in the total province of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is really a quite cool experience, and I absolutely never get it for granted.”

The pandemic manufactured it an even a lot more distinctive practical experience, claimed Hickey. A great deal of safety measures were being taken and volunteers have been dressed in intensive PPE.

“With the COVID problems likely on, it was very surreal to be there, not only with Canada, but with so many other countries who experienced to struggle as a result of the previous couple of many years as very well.”

Even so, the COVID-19 restrictions also meant that Hickey’s family and good friends couldn’t go overseas with him to cheer him on.  

“It was undoubtedly a tricky pill to swallow,” Hickey stated, “that that they couldn’t be there for this a single and with how significantly operate they do as effectively on the sides to guidance me, it was unhappy to not have them there.” Hickey stated it was also a disappointment typical among the his fellow athletes.

Hickey is again house now for the to start with time in a few months. He claimed he is nonetheless altering to the time transform and ideas to rest for at minimum the future number of months. 

“We continue to have a range camp coming up in September that I am going to start out to prep for throughout the summer time, but I just want to enjoy this summertime. It can be been a extensive four several years and once again, two several years in certain with COVID. But I imagine I just want to choose some time, golfing a whole lot and hold out with my buddies and my girlfriend and just enjoy it.”

As for his medal, Hickey says he’ll frame it one particular day but for now, there is certainly no rush. 

“My medal normally sits all over my property for months immediately after I get it,” Hickey mentioned, describing how he only framed the 2018 silver medal a month in advance of he still left for Beijing.

“I am certain this a single will conclude up in a body shortly.”

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