Canadian freestyle skier Meghan Oldham secured her maiden Olympic medal on Monday, claiming bronze in the Women’s Slopestyle Final at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
The 24-year-old described meeting Princess Anne, who handed out the prizes at the ceremony, as a treat.
The Princess Royal, 75, was on hand to present medals to the podium finishers, giving Oldham an unexpected royal encounter alongside her sporting achievement.
It marked a memorable day for the Canadian athlete, who combined competitive success with a brush with royalty at the Italian venue.
Canadian freestyle skier Meghan Oldham secured her maiden Olympic medal on Monday, claiming bronze in the Women’s Slopestyle Final at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
|
GETTY
Oldham shared details of her exchange with the Princess Royal in an interview with CBC Olympics journalist Ariel Halwani.
“She was so sweet. She was just saying congratulations, like, this is such a big accomplishment, and then she was also just asking me about some other events that I have coming up,” the skier said.
Anne enquired whether Oldham had further competitions ahead at the Games.
“She was like, ‘Are you competing again?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m competing in Big Air.’ So she just wished luck, which was really nice,” Oldham recalled.
It marked a memorable day for the Canadian athlete, who combined competitive success with a brush with royalty at the Italian venue.
|
GETTY
Princess Anne holds a longstanding position on the International Olympic Committee.
The Princess Royal made history in 1976 when she became the first member of the British Royal Family to participate in the Olympics, representing Great Britain in equestrian events at the Montreal Summer Games.
Her connection to the Olympic movement has endured through her IOC membership, which has seen her remain actively involved in the international sporting competition for decades.
Oldham shared details of her exchange with the Princess Royal in an interview with CBC Olympics journalist Ariel Halwani.
|
GETTY
This personal Olympic history gives Anne a unique perspective when presenting medals to athletes, having experienced the pressures of elite competition herself.
Anne’s duties at the Milano Cortina Games extended beyond the slopestyle ceremony, as she also presented medals for the Women’s Snowboard Big Air event on the same day.
The Princess Royal arrived in Milan on 2 February for an IOC Session ahead of the Games, where she was spotted sharing a light moment with Prince Albert of Monaco, himself a former Olympic competitor.
Her medal-presenting responsibilities have included family occasions in the past. At the 2012 London Summer Olympics, Anne had the honour of awarding her daughter Zara Tindall a silver medal in the equestrian competition.
