News that two North Korean figure skaters will be going to the Winter Olympic Games next month has left coaching staff at a Quebec arena feeling proud.
Bruno Marcotte, who coaches Canadian Olympic medalists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, spent months training Ryom Tae Ok, 18, and Kim Ju Sik, 25, last summer in Sainte-Julie, Que.
The North Korean skaters went on to qualify for the Olympics in September. A deal announced Tuesday means North Korea will allow them to compete at PyeongChang, South Korea, next month.
Marcotte said he recognized their raw talent and accepted an offer to train them in Sainte-Julie.
鈥淭hey just bring so much passion, so much charisma and they have so much love for the sport,鈥� he told CTV Montreal.
Marcotte said they stayed away from politics during the training. 鈥淢ost of our conversation was how can we be better, how can we one day be at the top of the podium at worlds,鈥� he said.
Choreographer Julie Marcotte, Bruno Marcotte鈥檚 sister, said she is 鈥渆cstatic鈥� about the news, saying it was an honour to train Ryom and Kim.
鈥淯ltimately they're athletes that just want to be able to become the best they can be at their sport,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 had the chance like other to compete on the international scene,鈥� she added.
Duhamel said that qualifying for their country was their ultimate goal. 鈥淚 think they felt a lot of pressure to do that,鈥� she said.
Radford said he believes their attendance at the Olympics 鈥渟ends such a great message.鈥�
鈥淚 think that for them the experience is going to be amazing,鈥� Radford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 every athlete鈥檚 dream to be at the Olympics.鈥�
With a report from CTV Montreal鈥檚 Cindy Sherwin
