Kenora 'Paints the town Gabe' to cheer on homegrown athlete Gabe Mastromatteo in Tokyo Olympics
As Gabe Mastromatteo continues with his Olympic swimming debut, he will have his whole hometown cheering him on.
Signs of support and encouragement for the 19-year-old swimmer have been popping up around Kenora, Ont., where Mastromatteo grew up.
Steve Mastromatteo, the Olympian's father, said the gesture blew him away.
"Everyone we meet in the stores and stuff, or driving by businesses the signs that are up, it's overwhelming because of how much it means to everyone else too, and we take a lot of pride in that."
Andrea Ronnebeck, whose stepsister is Mastromatteo's mother and coach, is the one behind the signs. She's been rallying the community to cheer Mastromatteo on.
"I thought, well, instead of 'painting the town red,' how about we 'Paint the town Gabe,'" Ronnebeck told CTV News.
"Kenora has always been a close-knit community, and when there's a special event, people just get involved and provide support wherever they can."
Ronnebeck said up and down Main Street, businesses and residents have been getting in on the action – posting signs in the windows and on their lawns in support of Mastromatteo.
"I'm very, very proud of Gabe," she said. "He's worked so hard, he's so focused."
Ronnebeck said Mastromatteo is the third athlete out of Kenora to compete at the Olympics.
Mike Smith competed in the decathlon in 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Mike Richards joined Canada on the ice as they won gold for hockey in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
"I think it's wonderful that people that come from a small town like Kenora have the potential to achieve the things like what Gabe and Mike Richards etcetera have achieved," Ronnebeck said.
"We're not just a small tourist town."
Mastromatteo finished his Olympic debut on Saturday, landing in 6th place in Heat 3 with a time of 1:01:56. The time did not advance him to the semifinals, however, Mastromatteo is set to compete again on July 29 in the 4 x 100m mixed medley relay, and on July 30 in the 4 x 100m men’s medley relay.
While this is the 19-year-old's first time competing at the Olympics, Ronnebeck said she doesn't think it will be his last.
-with files from CTV's Mike Arsenault
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.