MARYSTOWN, NL — The cheers of 40-plus people went up with every jump Kaetlyn Osmond landed last night as she competed in the
women’s figure skating short program event at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics.
Marystown council organized a viewing party at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena – the very place where Marystown native Osmond once skated, now named after the 22-year-old, two-time Olympic medalist.
The crowd at the arena eagerly watched Osmond complete her short program with a score of 78.87, finishing behind second-place Evgenia Medvedeva and Alina Zagitova, currently in first position with a score of 82.92.
Osmond supporters say they are pleased with her performance and will be cheering her on as she goes into Thursday night’s free skate event.
“I’m out to cheer on our hometown hero Kaetlyn Osmond tonight,” said Bethany Smith of Marystown. “She did really good and it was amazing. She made all of her jumps, and I’m really proud of her.”
Smith is a member of the Ice Crystal Figure Skating Club in Marystown and said one day, she would like to represent the country on the world stage.
“It would be a great experience.”
Fellow skater Hailey May also said she’d love to represent the nation as an Olympic athlete.
“I think it would be pretty cool to be in the Olympics.”
Family cheering at home
During a rally held for Kaetlyn at the arena earlier in the day, the Southern Gazette spoke to her grandmother, Claudia Lambe, who said she would be watching her granddaughter from home.
“She should do good,” said Lambe. “(I’ll) be watching – pretty nervous.”
She said to date her granddaughter has had an excellent year.
“It’s unbelievable that she has gone to this point,” she said. “This is her second Olympics and she’s wonderful.”
Gary Osmond, Kaetlyn’s brother, joined the crowd on the ice to watch Kaetlyn in her quest for gold.
Osmond said it was a proud moment for him as he watched his sister skate in her second winter Olympics.
“I’m completely overwhelmed,” he said. “She is (third) at the…Olympics – (I’m) full of pride. It’s just amazing to watch her skate. She does what she does with such grace – I love her.”
Osmond said the show of support for his sister is overwhelming.
“You look at Facebook, you look at all of social media – look at the crowd here tonight. The support is phenomenal, and the best is yet to come.”
He said as Kaetlyn prepares to go into Thursday’s free skate event, he hopes thing s go well and that she does her best.
“Regardless of how she does myself, my family, all of Marystown, all of Newfoundland, (and) all of Canada – we’re incredibly proud of Kaetlyn,” said Osmond.
