The arrival terminals at airports in Toronto and Montreal were filled with cheers on Monday as fans and family gathered to give a hero含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渉onestly amazing.含羞草研究社�

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

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含羞草研究社檛 stop them from embracing the moment.

含羞草研究社淗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,含羞草研究社� said Siermachesky, an alternate for the women含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檒l never forget.

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

Skating around the arrivals terminal at Pearson airport was 14-year-old Fay De Fazio Ebert, a Toronto skateboarder who became Canada含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t feels amazing to represent Canada and to know that a bunch of people have my back during this,含羞草研究社� she said, noting she含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渓ooking for more含羞草研究社� and will continue to work hard at improving.

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

Thomas didn含羞草研究社檛 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.

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

含羞草研究社淗e said 含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檛 work at that level, it含羞草研究社檚 harder.

含羞草研究社淏ut he含羞草研究社檚 an Olympian and we are very proud of his journey.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 10-metre synchronized platform.

Arriving at Montr茅al-Trudeau International Airport, Zsombor-Murray wasn含羞草研究社檛 wearing his medal, telling reporters, 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 like to flaunt; I含羞草研究社檓 a humble person.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 10-metre platform, the 21-year-old said: 含羞草研究社淚 wasn含羞草研究社檛 super happy 含羞草研究社� but I always try to learn from my experience.含羞草研究社�

Now that the Games are over, he said he feels 含羞草研究社渁 little jaded.含羞草研究社�

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

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

含羞草研究社淚s there another Games in me? I think there is. I含羞草研究社檓 going to take some time to reflect on what I want to do. I含羞草研究社檓 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.含羞草研究社�

Caeli McKay, a Calgary diver who competed in the women含羞草研究社檚 10-metre platform and the women含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淏eing in Tokyo a few years ago and not having anyone there to support us was kind of hard,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淗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.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚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.含羞草研究社�

Cedrick Belony-Duliepre, who lives on Montreal含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 80-kg boxing, but said his time in Paris 含羞草研究社渨as an amazing experience. It was my dream.

含羞草研究社淚 worked so hard, since the age of 15, I含羞草研究社檓 now 25 and it含羞草研究社檚 been 10 years that I含羞草研究社檝e worked so hard, that it含羞草研究社檚 been my dream. Every day I worked for this 含羞草研究社� I made sacrifices, with the highs and lows I never let go.含羞草研究社�

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