Winnipeg Men Magazine follows up with Jon Montgomery.

by Jon Waldman

If you haven’t met Manitoba’s newest celebrity in person, chances are you’ve seen him at least once on television or radio (or in our own Olympic preview).

Yes, Jon Montgomery is the new “it” guy in the province, following his incredible victory in Whistler in men’s skeleton. Defined by onlookers as a daredevil, our nation was captivated by the Russell native’s fearless and perilous journey down the course at Whistler and his ascension to the Olympic throne just a short time later.

Going through the course was an experience in and of itself. Even though he was travelling at high speeds, Montgomery could hear the roar of the crowd as he rushed head-first across the twisting and turning sheet of ice.

The holler of fans and call from the loudspeakers, however, had to stay in the background as Montgomery sped through the course; otherwise, these stimuli could have affected his race.

“You have to concentrate on the next inch in front of your nose,” he explains.

Montgomery’s gold medal was one of the first for Canada at its record-setting Games and gained instant notoriety for the athlete. Soon after the victory, the congratulatory calls and emails were pouring in from across the province, along with requests for Montgomery to appear at charity events, something he feels very fortunate to be able to do.

“The attention is very new,” he says.

The celebration that enveloped the nation while Montgomery was still in Vancouver was only a sign of things to come. Following the conclusion of the Olympics, Montgomery returned to a hero’s welcome as he arrived in Winnipeg. Montgomery remarked that it was the first time that there was a welcome wagon to greet him in the provincial capital.

Soon after, Montgomery was whisked back to Russell, the small town where he still lives. There, an incredible celebration took place, including his being named to the Order of the Buffalo Hunt and a 100-float parade, with local supporters and people from across, and even outside, the province pouring into the western Manitoba small town to express their congratulations to Manitoba’s new sports hero.

The experience was overwhelming for the red-haired medallist.

“I had no idea what to expect,” Montgomery remarks. “If I had dreamed it up, it would’ve exceeded my expectations.”

A unique identity

There’s no question, though, that while Montgomery proudly wore the red and white for Canada, the auctioneer also walked to the beat of his own drum during the Games. Those watching the Games saw Montgomery display this individuality on a couple of occasions.

The first instance was during the medals ceremony. Rather than take the “step up” to the podium, Montgomery jumped up to receive the gold. He explains that the move is part of his character and he was filled with excitement in the moment.

Perhaps more visibly, however, was Montgomery’s appearance during the closing ceremonies. As Canada marched in with its Olympic jackets, we saw Montgomery decked out solely in the red Canada T-shirt. Certainly, by reputation well-earned as being able to withstand the colder temperatures, a Manitoban in a T-shirt in the middle of winter wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

However, this display of burliness wasn’t the intent.

Instead, Montgomery reveals exclusively to WMM that he gave his jacket to his girlfriend. Though she was an athlete herself, she was not permitted to walk in for the ceremonies. Montgomery gave her the jacket so she could sneak in and the two could go in together.

In a twist, Montgomery sees what he did as still being part of provincial pride. “It’s Manitoban not to follow the rules,” he says with a laugh.

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