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Olympian Alexandra Duckworth celebrates with supporters in Halifax

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CTV Atlantic: Olympian Alex Duckworth celebrates After a whirlwind experience in Sochi, Nova Scotia snowboarder Olympian Alex Duckworth is back on home soil.

After a whirlwind experience at the Sochi Olympics, snowboarder Alexandra Duckworth is back home in Nova Scotia.

Duckworth spent Friday celebrating with her supporters and fans, who gathered at the Canada Games in Halifax to meet the snowboarding superstar.

“This has been a big surprise,” says the 24-year-old Kingsburg, N.S. native. “The volume that’s been created around it has been really cool.”

Duckworth’s biggest supporters - her parents - were also there to cheer on the Olympian.

“They have a unique approach to letting me do my own thing, but being really supportive and encouraging at the same time,” says Duckworth.

“She's very even-keeled and so that's one of the things that helps her manage with the ups and downs,” says her father, John Duckworth.

Duckworth narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Vancouver Games in 2010, but this time around, she not only qualified, but made it to the semi-finals.

Her perseverance is an inspiration to future athletes, including seven-year-old Nathan Mills, who has dreams of making it to the Olympics someday.

“I want to try snowboarding and I wanted to see a snowboarder who was in the Olympics,” says Mills.

Two-time snowboarding Olympian Sarah Conrad and Olympic gymnast Ellie Black were also at Friday’s event to show their support for Duckworth.

“Welcome her back home, congratulate her on journey, cause I know it's not an easy one, it's awesome to see so many people out here,” says Conrad.

“I went to the London 2012 Games,” says Black. “So, just to come out and support her and congratulate her on her amazing achievement.”

Although she did not make the podium, Duckworth isn’t discouraged. With the next winter games four years away, she says she has her eye on the prize.

“I'm not throwing the towel in anytime soon, so I'll take it year by year. But for now, yeah, I love to think about 2018.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Alyse Hand