"Life is a journey, not a destination."

This oft-used quote by American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson applies to Langley's Olympians competing in London.

For the elite few, sports is a journey, with the destination of being the best in their chosen sport.

Sports is often results-based, and in a select few cases, rightfully so.

A burning desire to be the very best is what makes these elite competitors Olympians in the first place.

The dream of being at the pinnacle, of standing on a medal podium, came to an end recently for two of Canada's Olympians who list Langley as their hometown.

For equestrian rider Hawley Bennett-Awad, a fall off her horse Gin & Juice on July 30 during the cross-country element of eventing ended her competition.

Bennett-Awad, who lives in Temecula, Calif. but calls Murrayville home, was transported to hospital by ambulance with a concussion and a stable sacral fracture.

She tweeted Aug. 1 that she had been released from the hospital.

And Bennett-Awad's recent tweet read: "So different being home and watching the Olympics from my house!! What an amazing journey...learned a lot on this trip."

At the range, Dorothy Ludwig, a secondgeneration Olympian, competed for Canada in women's 10-metre pistol shooting.

Ludwig made her Olympic debut and in doing so, followed in the path of her father, the late Bill Hare, who competed at the 1964, '68, and '72 Games.

The 33-year-old mom to a young son placed 34th in qualifying and did not advance.

But rather than focusing on their results, let's applaud the journey these two women made to get to London. Let's recognize the countless sacrifices they made through the years to compete for Canada on the ultimate sporting stage. Let's be proud of our hometown Olympians.