VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A few hours after learning of her mother's sudden death, Canadian figure skating star Joannie Rochette was back on the ice.
Dressed in black tights and a black Canadian team hoodie, Rochette appeared in the runway as the rest of the skaters in her practice session took the ice Sunday afternoon. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath before stepping on the ice, then gave a little wave at the only spectators who were allowed in the building — cleared about 45 minutes earlier for the security sweep before the original dance.
Therese Rochette, 55, had a massive heart attack after arriving in Vancouver on Saturday and was pronounced dead at a hospital in Vancouver, said David Baden, Rochette's agent.
"She's so close to her mother, I think she doesn't even entertain not skating," Baden said. "She's a tough fighter. It's got to be hard to switch gears and say no to (the Olympics). This is what she has been training for all these years. She'll be trying to fulfill the goal they had together."
Rochette will not talk until after she finishes competing, Skate Canada president Benoit Lavoie said. The women's event begins Tuesday with the short program.
Rochette was blinking hard her first few laps around the ice, but then seemed to settle into the comfort of her practice routine. She showed no lapses in concentration, jumped well and did a light run-through of her tango short program. She was applauded by the few people in the rink after her program.
"It's a tragedy. I'm sort of in shock by it," said Brian Orser, who got to know Rochette's parents when he was touring with her on "Stars on Ice" in Canada. "I'm proud of her that she is continuing to compete because she's a great competitor and she's in great shape. And she's skating for the right reasons."
Joannie Rochette has been in Vancouver since the opening ceremony, and her parents arrived Saturday from their home in Montreal. Baden said they visited Canada House and then went back to the apartment where they're staying. Normand Rochette later found his wife passed out and, when he was unable to revive her, took her to Vancouver General.
Normand Rochette went to the Olympic village early Sunday to tell his daughter of her mother's death. He was in the building when Rochette practiced Sunday.
Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada's director of high performance, said the Canadian team was told about Rochette's mother's death before the news was announced publicly.
"We'll do our best to manage it, but our first thoughts are with Jo and her family," Slipchuk said. "We'll go step by step."
The news spread quickly to Rochette's competitors, who were at the Pacific Coliseum for practices.
World champion Kim Yu-na, who trains with Orser in Toronto, said she "really felt sorry" for Rochette.
"I can't even imagine what she's going through," Frank Carroll, who coaches Mirai Nagasu and men's gold medalist Evan Lysacek, said, shaking his head. "It takes such strength to get out there and control your emotions just under normal circumstances. ... It's horrible. Horrible."
Added U.S. champion Rachael Flatt: "That's really hard. I can't imagine losing your mother, let alone at the Olympics."
Jeff Buttle, the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist and a good friend of Rochette's said he was "shocked and saddened" when he learned the news.
"Joannie is a strong person, and I am there to help and support her in any way possible," Buttle said in a statement. "The best thing we can do for her is to respect her privacy at this time."
As the reigning world silver medalist, Rochette is Canada's best chance to win an Olympic medal since Liz Manley won the silver in 1988, the last time the games were in Canada.
"A medal would mean so much to me," the six-time Canadian champion said earlier in the games. "But I'm trying not to think too much because I want to be happy in my performance and happy in my career. I don't want to define my life by what happened here."
AP Sports Writer Barry Wilner contributed to this report.