Canadian blueberry grower Jasey-Jay Anderson has won Olympic gold in the parallel giant slalom snowboard event at the 2010 Olympics, according to local media reports.
The Quebec-based veteran snowboarder has notched up several top-10 podium finishes on the world circuit but after a medal-less performance at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics the 35-year old reportedly considered retirement before setting up a blueberry farm with his wife.
“The blueberry farm was the project that kept my mind and my heart at peace for all those failed Olympics,” Mr Anderson told journalists at the International British Columbia Media Centre.
But in 2003 when the Vancouver Olympics were announced Mr Anderson said he decided to take up snowboarding again while continuing his blueberry farming venture.
“The blueberry farm did bring me a lot of peace,” Mr Anderson said. “I love being outside and creating something. Being an athlete you work on yourself but you don’t really create anything – you’re not productive in a tangible way. So you can inspire; you can motivate; you can be an example.”
“But as far as creating something – and quite manual – I lacked something, so blueberries were a really good escape for me,” he continued.
Mr Anderson describes the blueberry project as “beautiful” since it allows him to provide something healthy and nutritious to the local area and residents of Mont Tremblant in Quebec.
