Joannie Rochette

1.1. Introduction to Figure Skating

Rochette began skating at the remarkably young age of two, after her mother first took her to the rink. Her early talent quickly became apparent, leading her to win the 2000 Canadian Championships at the novice level. The following season, she secured her second consecutive national title at the 2001 Canadian Championships, this time at the junior level.

2.1. Junior Career

Rochette made her debut on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in the 2000-01 season, placing 5th at the event in France and 4th in Mexico. Her strong performances in qualifying events led her to win the junior national title at the 2001 Canadian Championships. She then represented Canada at the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, where she placed 8th. In the 2001-02 season, she continued to compete on the JGP circuit, earning a silver medal at the event in Italy and placing 5th at the 2002 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

2.2. Senior Career Development

Rochette transitioned to senior-level competition in the 2001-02 season, winning a bronze medal at the 2002 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. She made her senior international debut at the 2002 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, placing 9th, and later 8th at the 2003 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. In the 2003-04 season, she debuted on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, placing 10th at 2003 Skate Canada and 4th at the 2003 Cup of Russia. She also won the Bofrost Cup on Ice that season.

The 2004-05 season marked a significant breakthrough for Rochette. She won the bronze medal at the 2004 Cup of China and then secured her first Grand Prix victory at the 2004 Trophée Eric Bompard. These results qualified her for the 2004-05 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, where she won the bronze medal. She won the 2005 Canadian Championships, her first Canadian senior title, which made her the first Canadian female skater to have won Canadian Championships at all three levels: Novice, Junior, and Senior.

2.3. Canadian National Championships

Joannie Rochette was a dominant force at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships, winning six consecutive national titles from 2005 to 2010. Her consistent success at the national level underscored her position as Canada's top female skater for half a decade, leading to her selection for multiple international competitions, including the Olympic Games.

2.4. Major International Competition Results

Rochette's senior career was marked by consistent medal-winning performances across the most prestigious international figure skating events.

2.4.3. ISU World Championships

Rochette participated in multiple World Figure Skating Championships, steadily improving her placements. She placed 17th in 2003, 8th in 2004, 11th in 2005, 7th in 2006, 10th in 2007, and 5th in 2008. Her most significant achievement at the World Championships came in 2009, when she won the silver medal at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships. This made her the first Canadian woman since Elizabeth Manley in 1988 to medal at the World Championships.

3.1. Mother's Death and Olympic Performance

Two days before the ladies' figure skating competition was set to begin at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Rochette received devastating news: her mother, Thérèse Rochette, had died at age 55 from a heart attack at Vancouver General Hospital shortly after arriving in Vancouver to watch her compete. Initially, Rochette considered withdrawing from the competition due to the profound shock and grief. However, recalling her mother's constant encouragement to "be strong," she made the courageous decision to continue competing in her mother's honor.

Despite her immense sorrow, Rochette delivered an emotional and powerful performance in the short program, scoring a new personal best of 71.36 points, which placed her third. Two days later, she maintained her third-place position after the free skate, earning a total score of 202.64 points, and secured the bronze medal. She became the fifth Canadian woman to win a medal in ladies' figure skating at the Olympics. Rochette later expressed gratitude to fellow competitors Kim Yuna and Mao Asada, stating that their courageous attempts at triple-triple combinations and triple Axels inspired her to forget her sadness and compete fiercely. At her mother's funeral, Rochette placed her Olympic bronze medal on the casket as a personal tribute. Her performance at the Olympic figure skating gala on February 27 featured the original French version of Celine Dion's song "Vole," a heartfelt tribute to her mother, who was a long-time fan of Dion. She stated that her last triple salchow in the free skate was because her mother lifted her up.

3.2. Post-Olympic Recognition

Rochette's inspiring display of determination and resilience garnered widespread admiration and recognition. Alongside Petra Majdič, she received the inaugural Terry Fox Award for the 2010 Winter Olympics, an honor given to athletes who overcome pain and adversity to inspire the world. Fellow Canadian Olympian Jon Montgomery praised Rochette for showing "so much heart and determination at the 2010 Games," adding that "What she displayed is honestly what the Olympics are all about." Her courage was further acknowledged when she was chosen as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony. In December 2010, Rochette was voted the Female Athlete of the Year by The Canadian Press.

4.1. Retirement and Medical Studies

Rochette did not compete at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships and later announced she would not participate in the 2010-11 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, signaling her departure from competitive skating. While she briefly weighed a return to competition in an October 2012 interview, she confirmed in September 2013 that she would not compete for a spot at the 2014 Olympics.

In November 2011, Rochette received her DEC from Collège André-Grasset's Natural Sciences program, a program that typically takes two or three years but took her seven years to complete due to her skating commitments. In the fall of 2015, she enrolled in a medical preparatory year at McGill University, continuing as a medical student in 2016. In September 2017, she participated in a white coat ceremony at the start of her second year of medical school.

4.2. Medical Career

Rochette earned her medical degree in April 2020. She announced that she would be working in Quebec's long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing directly to the healthcare efforts in her home province. Her decision to pursue a medical career was influenced by her family's history of heart-related issues, including her mother's death and later heart attacks experienced by her grandfather and uncle.

4.3. Media and Commentary

Beyond her medical career, Rochette has also ventured into media. She debuted as a commentator for the CBC during the 2014 Winter Olympics, providing insights into figure skating.