SOCHI SCENE: Keep the Change

Published Feb. 21, 2014 7:54 a.m. ET

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KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) Kelsey Serwa unzipped her plaid Team Canada jacket and reached into her left breast pocket. You could call it her ''Loonie bin.''

The Canadian silver medalist in women's skicross then carefully pulled out two coins. The first was a minted Russian piece of silver given to her by her mother on Thursday. The other was a brand new Loonie, the $1 Canadian coin.

The 24-year-old carries one as good luck for most races, a tradition she started several years ago. She stuck to it even through a pair of torn ACLs in her left knee that had Serwa pondering whether to hang up her skis.

''I thought about stepping away after I blew my career again last year,'' she said. ''Once that came into my mind I got really sad and I realized I wasn't ready for retirement yet.''

Serwa called her recovery in time for Sochi ''miraculous'' and while her silver medal will find a special place in her home in British Columbia, the Loonie that was along for the ride isn't going anywhere.

''It's fresh,'' she said with a laugh. ''I think I'll keep it for awhile.''

- By Will Graves - Twitter http://twitter.com/WillGravesAP

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Associated Press reporters are filing dispatches about happenings in and around Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games. Follow AP journalists covering the Olympics on Twitter: http://apne.ws/1c3WMiu