Joannie Rochette: Figure Skating's Moment Beyond Medals

Instead, there were tears, there was pride, and there was palpable sense among each person in the building that they had been witness to something that Will Linger in the memory for a lifetime, and medals had no part in it.

Sunday morning, Rochette's mother, Thérèse, passed away unexpectedly here in Vancouver, where she had come to watch her daughter skate. Tuesday night, Rochette skated as close to perfect as she possibly could.

(The Monitor spoke with Mrs.. Rochette in January. Read about the deep pride in her daughter's achievements that she shared in the interview.)

The judges put a value on its skating by sea, and even by that measure, it was the best short program of her season. In this case, however, the numbers were a poor indication of the enormity of the performance.Read More Story,http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Olympics/2010/0224/Joannie-Rochette-figure-skating-s-moment-beyond-medals

Joannie Rochette: Figure Skating's Moment Beyond Medals