Olympic gold-medalist Jill Saulnier returns to Halifax

Canada's Jill Saulnier (11) and Blayre Turnbull (40) celebrate after Canada beat the United States to win the women's gold medal hockey game at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Olympian Jill Saulnier arrived home in Halifax Thursday night to a crowd of family, friends, and fans.

This is her first time home since winning Olympic Hockey Gold in Beijing last month.

“It’s been four years in the making, and you know, for us to come together like we did, it was like a perfect puzzle,” said Saulnier.

“For us to be able to walk home, you know, with the gold medal, it’s something really special and it’s something I’m honestly having a hard time putting into words.”

Fellow Olympians also greeted Saulnier at the airport. Fiona Smith-Bell was part of the women’s hockey team that won silver in 1997, and Tracy Stuart won bronze in rowing at the Beijing summer games in 2008.

Saulnier was not the only Nova Scotian on the team this year. Stellarton native Blayre Turnbull played forward.

The team went undefeated in the tournament and rewrote the women's Olympic hockey record book in several categories.