Pellini was presented with a doughnut from Timmy's and Gatorade to wash it down with.
Janice Pellini said she knew her son would be hungry after a long plane ride. She brought him Gatorade because she thought he might be dehydrated.
"I didn't get to go (to Beijing) because I have to look after my dog and 15-year-old," she said.
Pellini competed in the 1,000-metre four-man kayak event. The Canadians unexpectedly made it to the finals.
He was just one of many Canadian athletes who were greeted by cheering crowds at the airport.
Some of the largest applause was reserved for Pellini's Burloak Canoe Club teammate, Adam van Koeverden, who won a silver medal in the K-500 after a disastrous eight-place finish in the K-1000.
"It was fantastic. I learned a lot about myself as an athlete and a person," the Oakville resident said of his second Olympic experience.
jstewart@mississauga.net
