VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)—They were the resilient Winter Games— beginning in shock, ending in euphoria.
Opening day was overshadowed by the death of a luger in a training-run crash. The finale couldn’t have been more festive—a tribute to the organizers, who persevered despite first-week setbacks, and to the Canadian team, which surged to glory after a shaky start.
WHISTLER, B.C. ' Canada was in contention for two medals after Wednesday's third heat in women's bobsled at the Winter Olympics.
Canada's Olympic Team remains on pace for its best-ever medal performance at a Winter Games, but will have a tough time achieving its goal of finishing first in the overall standings, team officials said Sunday.
Michael Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, acknowledged that the U.S. is having a "tremendous Games" and making it difficult for Canada to reach top spot.
WHISTLER, British Columbia (AP)—First to the finish. First to four gold medals.
Germany’s Andre Lange rarely loses—and never in the Olympics.
Bobsled’s best driver won his fourth gold in four career races inside the winter rings on Sunday, taking the two-man competition to become the winningest pilot in Olympic history and increase the medal total for a country that has mastered the sliding sports like no other.
With cropped hair he recently dyed blond—yep, golden blond—just for the Vancouver Games, Lange completed his four trips down Whistler Sliding Center’s wicked-fast track in 3 minutes, 26.65 seconds, .22 ahead of Germany’s Thomas Florschuetz (3:26.87), who won the silver. Russia’s Alexsandr Zubkov (3:27.51) won the bronze.
WHISTLER ' Thousands of voices shouted support, hundreds of Canadian flags filled the air and one Canadian athlete accepted gold.
'I hoped I would be wearing it and I certainly believed it was possible,' Jon Montgomery said Saturday just moments after a 2010 gold medal was placed around his neck after winning men's skeleton Friday night at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
Canada may be lagging behind the U.S. by a dozen medals, but Olympic officials say they still hope the country will 'own the podium' by the end of the Games.
Canadian Olympic Committee boss Michael Chambers refused to admit that Canada may not be in first place in the medals table when the Games end Feb. 28.
VANCOUVER (AFP) - Skeleton rider Kazuhiro Koshi, Japan's oldest ever Winter Olympic competitor, finished 20th in his third and last Games, but his "gold medal" dreams will live on by inspiring the next generation of sliders.
"All of my challenges stopped short of a medal," the 45-year-old told Japanese media. "From now, it will be my gold medal challenge to help the next generation win a medal."
Whistler (AFP) - Amy Williams's Olympic skeleton gold could herald a new dawn for winter sports in Britain, it was claimed on Saturday.
Despite Britain not having a sliding track, the 27-year-old managed to capture her country's first individual winter title since Robin Cousins claimed figure skating gold at Lake Placid in 1980.
WHISTLER, B.C. ' The excitement over Jon Montgomery's gold medal in men's skeleton on Friday was tempered somewhat by the earlier disqualification of Canadian teammate Mike Douglas.
Douglas, from Kleinburg, Ont., was declared ineligible by International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) officials before the event's third of four heats because he had the runner covers on his equipment in the parque ferme, where the sleds are inspected before the race.
Whistler (AFP) - Rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave, the only Olympian to win golds at five consecutive Games, praised Amy Williams's coolness as she became the first British Winter Olympic individual champion for 30 years.
The 27-year-old Williams sped to victory in the women's skeleton and Redgrave was on hand to witness the Cambridge girl's triumph.
