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continued from p. 38 on the track, and I wanted to win. I showed it. I wasn't going to hide behind people. And now look at it. Everyone went out hard. I'm not taking responsibility for the races, I'm not taking ownership of it, but Fernando came down and he said, `You're my example.' " "I'm so happy I did this year for me. It was hard, and I had to change how I paddled again to make it feel good again. This is a sport that's all about your touch. It's not just about how hard you can crack. Like, we're not grinders. We're technicians. When you're doing it really, really well, it felt easy. My heat this morning felt (expletive) easy. I felt if I can just do that again . . . "But you don't get to write the last chapter of your book, sadly." But he was happy he came back, because he did it on his own terms. He didn't do it because he felt obligated; he didn't do it because it was his job. He did it to compete, to test himself, to finish the damn race. He watched Andre De Grasse win bronze Sunday night with the covers up, just before bed. He will likely continue with the CBC and with the Canadian Olympic Committee, if they'll have him. The country means a lot to him. "Getting to watch our women kick serious ass, watching Andre De Grasse yes- Van Koeverden `learned hell of a lot' from career 39 | Thursday, August 18, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Whitecaps Little League champions in Renfew The Oakville Whitecaps 10-under baseball team went undefeated to win the Ontario Little League Minor Championship tournament in Renfrew. The Oakville Little League team defeated Brockville 6-4 in the championship game after blanking Pembroke 13-0 in the semifinals. In the final, the two teams were tied 3-3 before Oakville came through with three runs in the top of the seventh inning and limited Brockville to one run in its last at-bats to take the title. Pitcher Emmett Zahary recorded nine strikeouts and Thomas Read collected three hits for Oakville. Members of the team include Ethan Wood, Matthew Calabro, Iain Fox, Ben Rae, Emmett Zahary, Thomas Read, Thomas Fournier, Luke Simpson, Liam Conlin, Tyler Ogden, Clayton Winteler, Tyler Munroe and Dylan Kwan while the coaching staff includes John Mooney, Franco Simone, Bill Simpson and Chris Fournier. Adam van Koeverden failed to advance to the final after finishing sixth on Monday in the K-1 1,000-metres race in Rio de Janeiro. | Lucas Oleniuk ­ Toronto Star terday -- I've never prouder to be Canadian," said van Koeverden. "I know this is a big departure from who I was in 2004. But for me, sports is about a lot more than (winning). Maybe the thing that I'm taking away from my entire career is that I've learned a hell of a lot." He was a fierce advocate for winning to start, and grew into a man who appreciated something bigger. 2012 was the goodbye Games for a generation of our finest Olympians, from Clara Hughes to Alexandre Despatie to Emilie Heymans to Simon Whitfield. Whitfield had built himself up for one last shot, and then in a flash he crashed on the bike portion of his last Olympic triathlon, and a great career was over, bleeding on the pavement. It broke van Koeverden's heart, and before his own race the kayaker wrote Whitfield's name on his with his fingers on the wet dock, like writing on a window in the rain. He wanted to race for his friend and honour his career, and his end. He wanted to race inspired. Well, this was Adam van Koeverden's end. Four Olympics, four medals, a man of achievement, and one of our finest Olympians. He spoke for achievement before it was popular, and tried to honour that to the finish. He was our example, too. The Oakville Whitecaps won a provincial title in Renfrew earlier this month. | photo submitted OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB Week Thirteen Photo Contest Winner: Photographer: Mark Mahannah Age Division: BU5 Tim Hortons Oakville Beaver A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club MINERVA, STAR FUNDRAISER Sponsored by: REGISTER BY AUGUST 19 FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A ROUND TRIP FLIGHT FOR TWO.* When you register for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure by August 19, you will be entered for a chance to win one round trip flight for two people to any regularly scheduled WestJet destination.* REGISTER TODAY AT CIBCRUNFORTHECURE.COM AND JOIN US ON OCTOBER 2. *No purchase or fundraising necessary. Open to age of majority legal residents of Canada. Contest opens August 17, 2016 (12:01 AM PST) and closes August 19, 2016 (11:59 PM PST). 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