FORT ST. JOHN - Jacob Graham stood stoically beside the ice oval, in a spot he's no doubt stood hundreds of times before.
As he stepped up to the podium Wednesday afternoon at the Pomeroy Sport Centre to accept his gold medal in the men's long track speed skating 500-metre race, he gave the hometown crowd a friendly wave.
Graham was half of a double gold connection for Team B.C., as teammate Sara Spence also took home gold in the women's 500m.
Arianna VanDerStarre, head coach of Team B.C.'s long track team, talked proudly after the medal ceremony about the performances of her two sprinters.
"I'm so excited," she said. "We have an awesome team and two great sprinters and to see them pull it off on the day after delays and change of venue - it's just thrilling."
Originally from Dawson Creek, Graham grew up skating on the Pomeroy Sport Centre oval in Fort St. John, and that home ice advantage gave him part of the edge he needed to come out on top.
"Very confident coming here," he said about the home ice. "I'm sure I felt more comfortable than most athletes here. Feeling pretty good about it."
Despite waking up and battling a cold, the 18-year-old produced some of his best times of the season, with a 37.28 seconds in the first race and 37 seconds flat in his second.
His total of 1:14.28 was a full second faster than the second-best time, which was put up by Saskatchewan's Lucas Morin.
"It's great," he said. "I came into the 500 metre ranked first, but I woke up feeling a bit sick, so I was a little bit worried that I wasn't going to be able to perform in front of the home crowd - there was a little bit more pressure, so it's just a huge relief. I feel really good about it."
VanDerStarre said they talked about the illness before the race, but they weren't concerned about the effect it would have on Graham's chances.
"It rattled him a little bit, but we just got through that and said one race at a time," she said.
Graham's father Dale said it was a proud moment for the family when he saw the time.
"We were pretty proud and pretty happy for sure," the elder Graham said.
"We've shared the journey over the years, I've taken him to countless meets and travelled and travelled. It's time to enjoy the rewards."
VanDerStarre added there is something special about the way Jacob Graham skates the 500m.
"He's a beautiful skater," she said. "He's got so much power, but he's so smooth at the same time. He didn't go all out I don't think and he threw down 37 seconds flat. He's wild."
Graham, Spence and the rest of the B.C. long track squad will be back on the Pomeroy Sport Centre Oval today, skating the 1,000m for the women, 1,500m for the men and the mass-start race for both the men and women.
