Tamara King

Sylvia Burka was one proud Winnipegger as she watched speed skaters Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen take Olympic gold and bronze, respectively, in the women's 5,000-metre race.

"That was a pretty exciting race wasn't it ?" said Burka from her Toronto home.

Burka, a two-time world champion speed skater who once held the 1,000-metre cycling record, felt a special closeness to Hughes, who also has a cycling background.

"She did an incredible job. I am so thrilled. She makes it looks so easy with her long stride," said Burka, high praise from a woman who in 2000, was voted Manitoba female athlete of the 20th century for winning 21-international championships between 1967 and 1974.

Can't stop crying
"I just can't stop crying," said former coach Lori Derraugh, literally choking back tears as she spoke to the Sun in the moments immediately following the double hardware haul.

"It's hard work, what they've done. It's so nice to see that hard work pay off because you never know what could happen at the Olympics. It's the highest profile (event). They can do awesome at the worlds but no one hears about it," Derraugh said.

Once a coach to both Klassen and Hughes, she was there "the first time Clara skated," Derraugh said.

Hughes' mother, Maureen, watched her daughter's victory from Winnipeg.

"I'm just overjoyed for her. The family is just so very happy for her," she told the Sun from her Winnipeg home.

The first person Hughes telephoned was her father Ken.

"She said that all through the race 'I drew on your strength' because I don't give up on anything. No matter what happens, she just digs deeper. One of her secrets to success is that she doesn't worry about things she can't control."

Having just returned from Italy, Klassen's family gathered at her parents' Winnipeg home.

"Surprisingly, it was just as nerve-wracking as being there," said Klassen's mother, Helga.

"I don't know if we were even breathing in those last few minutes," she joked.

One of the family's favourite moments came when her daughter and Hughes took the podium. "It was great to see two Canadians up there," Helga Klassen said.

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