Grateful Canadians have given five tonnes of maple syrup to a Norwegian coach as thanks for helping cross-country skier Sarah Renner win an Olympic silver medal after her pole broke during the women's team sprint race.

Bjoernar Haakonsmoen became a hero in Canada for handing Renner a new pole at the Turin Games on February 14, especially because the Norwegian team finished fourth.

"It was a reflex action. I didn't even think about what I was doing," Haakonsmoen told Reuters after a ceremony at the Canadian embassy in Oslo to hand over a truckload of 7,400 cans of maple syrup donated as sugary thanks.

"I like maple syrup, but not in these quantities," Haakonsmoen said, adding he would keep a few cans.

Thousands of cans will be handed out to Norwegians around the country.

A Norwegian mobile phone operator also contributed 150,000 Norwegian crowns ($23,320) to Haakonsmoen's favoured anti-cancer charity.

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