^{Dear readers: The Endeavour staff would like to sincerely apologize for the misspelling of Jill Quirk’s last name on the front page story titled "Lethbridge athlete humbled by torch relay" in our Jan. 20 paper edition. Below is the corrected story.}

When she got the call, she could have sworn they had the wrong person. Jill Quirk Lethbridge’s final link in the Olympic chain was overwhelmed with emotion as she lit the cauldron at Henderson Lake Park last Sunday evening.

“I thought that they had made a mistake, because my sport was swimming,” says Quirk, who captured the bronze medal at the world championships as part of Canada’s 4 by 100M freestyle team during the 70’s. 

“My best year was in 75 when I was ranked seventh, eight in the 100M freestyle in the world.”

Quirk, an Information Technology Service worker for the city of Lethbridge, thought she didn’t have a chance at being selected as a torchbearer; given her sport takes part in the summer Olympics.

“I knew I was excited, but I don’t think it quite sunk in yet. I haven’t really had a great night sleep in the last two nights, so I guess I was feeling it.”

“I’m fine as long as I don’t trip, fall or light myself on fire,” she said smiling.

Quirk recalls the pressure that came with the responsibility from start to finish.

“I started feeling it today, getting butterflies in my stomach and that kind of thing, things (thoughts) are just going through your head. My mind was a bit busy.”

Even prior to the lighting of the cauldron, she remembers having some worries, recalling the back stage area being very dark and hard to see.

“I was a bit nervous because I wasn’t quite sure where the cauldron was.

 Nobody really told me what to do on stage other than light it.”

After the ceremonial lighting, she took to the microphone to deliver some words of advice to the anticipating crowd of thousands.

“If you have a dream, just don’t give up,” said Quirk to the inspired youngsters looking on.

It’s safe to say Quirk will never forget Jan.17, 2010 at Henderson Lake Park.

 “It was a really amazing feeling; there were so many people there.

 It’s such a beautiful park with all the lights, it just looked like fairyland,”

“Lethbridge did a great job.”