Paige Crozon is back in Lethbridge after competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

"the best day of my life for three weeks straight"

Lethbridge’s Paige Crozon reflects on experiences at Paris Olympics

Aug 29, 2024 | 2:12 PM

A Lethbridge woman is back in Lethbridge after competing in the Olympic Games for the first time.

Paige Crozon was part of Team Canada’s 3×3 women’s basketball team, which finished in fourth place at the 2024 Games in Paris.

She described being in the Olympics as “the best day of my life for three weeks straight.”

“I’ve dreamed about going to the Olympics or competing in the Olympics for about 20 years, so to be in that environment – the first time I walked onto the court at practice, it literally left me breathless. To play in those venues and on that stage was amazing,” says Crozon. “All the crowds in Paris were incredible, especially when we played France for the prime time game at 10:00 p.m., it was a sold out crowd and it was just the loudest environment I had ever played in.”

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Crozon’s squad, which also features Lethbridge local Kacie Bosch, has been practicing together since the sport was added to the Games in 2020. They play the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, a professional circuit that plays in cities across the world.

She describes the road to qualify for the Olympics as “amazing,” yet, “really draining.”

“I don’t think I realized before this process the emotional toll that it takes to get to the Olympics. The journey is so consuming, which makes it so incredible, but then also so heartbreaking when you don’t get the results you want,” says Crozon.

The trust and camaraderie her team has built up over the last few years is ultimately got her through the having to leave the Games without a medal.

Once Crozon’s events were done, though, she says it was time to relax and have some fun.

She was able to watch Canada’s other basketball teams competing, the women’s volleyball bronze medal game, and meet so many other world-class athletes.

“We spent some time travelling Paris after our event ended. We got to see the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower, which was, you know, another moment that gave me goosebumps, and we just got to enjoy and soak in the experience.”

Crozon says it has been great to come back home to Lethbridge. Despite everyone now recognizing her and knowing who she is, she says she does not feel like a celebrity.

“Just being at the university or going to the coffee shop and hearing how many people were able to watch the Games was so humbling. I heard from so many little girls and so many families that their kids have been able to watch, I think that’s like the biggest honour for me, is to be able to share my love and my journey – it’s something I enjoy doing so much – with other people and with their kids,” says Crozon.

She continues, “They get to see us play at the pinnacle of our sport and have so much fun doing it was really special. I’m really humbled by the amount of people who tuned in and the amount of support and encouraging messages and uplifting messages after we lost in the bronze medal game, I think that’s something that’s just helped me move past some of the grief and hurt of losing.”

There will not be much time for Crozon to rest, as she leaves on Tuesday, September 3 for the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series final in China.

READ MORE: ‘It felt terrible’: Canada’s 3×3 hoops team moves on after fourth-place finish

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