Joannie Rochette

**Joannie Rochette** (born January 13, 1986 in Montreal, Quebec) is a French-Canadian figure skater and six time Canadian champion who is known for her powerful, dynamic and musical skating abilities that she has gained through years of experience. According to Postmedia Network Inc. newspaper Rochette has been able to succeed in her skating career while maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, always being hydrated and training hard as she is serious about being healthy under duress.

Postmedia Network Inc.newspaper claims that she emotionally captured her audiences attention during the 2010 Winter Olympics performance right after her mother died while arriving in Vancouver. However, regardless of her emotional state, Rochette decided to courageously step out into the skating rink and complete her final performance making her mother proud. Rochette won a bronze medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics for her performance that year.

## Personal life
Rochette was born in Montreal, Quebec on January 13, 1986, she was the only child of Thérèse  and Normand Rochette
. Joannie's father, Normand, trained young hockey players and he was the first to introduce Joannie to figure skating at a very young age of twenty-two months 
. Growing up in île Dupas, Quebec, Joannie seriously began taking skating lessons when she was only six years of age. One of Rochette's tragic moments was on  February 21, 2010, two days before the ladies' figure skating contest at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, her mother, Thérèse Rochette, died of a heart attack at Vancouver General Hospital after coming to see her in the contest. However, even after this sudden death, Rochette stayed in the contest and skated in her mother's honour.

When asked in the National Post newspaper if her mother showed any symptoms of heart disease before her death Rochette stated " My grandfather had heart disease and he was not quite active, he was a heavy smoker and didn’t live a very healthy lifestyle". Rochette is currently participating in many events to create awareness about heart disease and the ways in which individuals can live an active lifestyle to prevent these types of diseases. Rochette continued with the following year winning a bronze metal in her Senior debut 
. Rochette was placed in fifth place among several of other competitors.
. Rochette continued to skate in 2008 and was able to win both the Skate Canada and the Trophée Eric Bompard with her performances.

In 2010, Rochette's dream came true when she turned twenty-four as she performed in front of thousands at the 2010 Winter Olympics. This was a significant accomplishment as she displayed strength and courage while performing after having gone through a tragic moment of her mother's death. The Global News newspaper quoted Rochette saying "If I was going to compete, might as well do it well, and I knew that's what my mom would have wanted me to do". Rochette was able to complete an outstanding performance and received a bronze medal.

Since the 2010 Winter Olympics, the National post newspaper asked Rochette what she has been doing in the time spent after her win at the Olympics, Rochette stated that she has been skating in a less competitive environment where she can concentrate on her own abilities and perform in her personal way.

## References 
## Other websites
*Joannie Rochette's Official website