Go, Kaetlyn, go! People of Marystown rally to cheer on one of their own

Olympic fever is high in Marystown, as residents prepare to cheer on one of their own.

Figure skating star Kaetlyn Osmond, ranked second in the world, will skate for the first time in Peyongchang on Saturday evening, and the whole town has gathered at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena to show support for their hometown hero.

Marystown Mayor Sam Synard is just one of many looking forward to watching the 22-year-old compete. 

"We'll have more people watch the Olympics per capita than probably any place in the entire province," he said. 

Osmond is set to skate with her team late in the evening on Saturday and Sunday. Her individual performances are set for late Tuesday and Thursday evening.

For her two solo competitions, Synard is planning a late-night skating party at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena so everyone in town can get together to cheer her on.

She deserves every bit of respect we give her.- Sam Synard 

"We're going to open up the arena as a viewing venue, and hopefully we'll get as many people out as you can possibly get out," he said.

"Kaetlyn is seeded quite high in her own skates — in the short program and the long program — so she'll skate late in the short program," Synard said. "Her time frame in the long program will be dictated by her performance in the short program. It may very well run into midnight."

Synard and the residents of Marystown have planned the events to show off the deep level of pride they have for Osmond and everything she's already accomplished.

"She's going into the Olympics as the second-seeded skater in the world," he said.

"That's just amazing to know where she came from … such a rural part of the country, and even a rural part of the province and to have achieved the pinnacle of international athletics. She deserves every bit of respect we give her."