White Rock students cheer on teacher’s son Anders Johnson at the 2026 Winter Olympics, celebrating his debut and Team Canada pride.
School Spirit Shines in South Surrey
Cheers echoed through the halls of White Rock Christian Academy on Thursday morning. Why? A hometown hero was racing on the world stage.
Students gathered to watch Canadian speed skater Anders Johnson compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. While he now lives in Edmonton, his roots run deep in South Surrey. His parents still call the area home, and one of them teaches at the school.
So yes, this felt personal.
A Teacher’s Son, A Community’s Pride
Anders Johnson may train hundreds of kilometres away, but in White Rock, he is family. As the race began, students waved flags and leaned toward the screen. They did not just see an athlete. They saw the son of their teacher. They saw a dream in motion.
Cindy Louw, speaking on behalf of the school, shared how proud the community feels. She said Anders sets a powerful example for students. He shows them that hard work pays off. He proves that big goals can start in small classrooms.
Olympic Debut in Italy
Johnson raced in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo at his first Olympic Games. During the broadcast, CBC commentators called him a “ball of sunshine.” His energy was clear, even through the screen.
He placed 22nd in the race students watched. Yet the ranking did not matter much that day. What mattered was this: he made it to the Olympics. For many athletes, that alone is the ultimate win.
And for these students, watching someone from their own community compete on the world stage felt electric.
From World Champion to Olympic Ice
Johnson’s path to the Olympics has been anything but ordinary. In 2024, he won gold in the team sprint at the ISU World Single Distances Championships. Even more impressive, he and teammates Laurent Dubreuil and Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu set a world record in the event. Although that record was later broken in early 2025, the achievement cemented his place among the sport’s elite.
In 2025, he also competed individually at the world championships for the first time. Step by step, race by race, he built momentum toward the Olympic stage.
A Legacy of Sport
Athletic talent runs in the family. Johnson’s late grandfather, Danny Johnson, played in the NHL with Vancouver and Detroit. That legacy of grit and competition now lives on in a new arena — the Olympic oval.
More Than a Race
At White Rock Christian Academy, Thursday was not just about speed skating. It was about belief. It was about seeing what is possible.
Students watched, cheered, and dreamed. Because when someone from your own community skates into Olympic history, the finish line suddenly feels a little closer for everyone.
