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Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:46 pm
by WestCoastJoe
Vancouver bids Olympics farewell

Flame goes out on Vancouver Games

The Vancouver Winter Olympics drew to a spectacular close on Sunday after 17 days of intense competition.

Canada topped the medal table, with 14 golds, seven silvers and five bronze medals, while the United States won the most medals with 37 overall.

Amy Williams clinched skeleton gold to win Britain's only medal at the Games.

Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said: "This extraordinary embrace by the entire city is something unique and has given a great atmosphere for these Games."

The closing ceremony began with the comedic emergence of the Olympic flame's fourth ice crystal leg, which had failed to appear during the opening ceremony.

The show, which lasted more than two hours, featured the likes of Canadian actors William Shatner and Michael J. Fox poking fun at their country in a self-deprecating manner.

The Games, which featured 2500 athletes from 82 competing nations, had begun in the worst possible way with the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili.

The 21-year-old was killed when his sled flipped and he hit a steel pole during a training run on the much criticised, high-speed Whistler Sliding Centre track.

GB's Williams slides to skeleton gold
Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, admitted the death of Kumaritashvili had hit him hard, before going on to praise the efforts of the Games organisers who battled unseasonably warm, wet weather and a resulting lack of snow.

"It is clear that the death cannot leave you indifferent," said Rogge.

"It hit me very strongly from a personal point of view. I didn't sleep for two consecutive nights.

"In my profession (Rogge is a doctor) you are used to seeing people pass away, but for acceptable reasons - disease, age.

"But when you see a young athlete pursuing his dream at the Olympic Games end in such an accident, it hurts.

"I'm sure no-one will forget (the death), but you have to be fair to Canadians, to the athletes and the organisers and to judge the Games on their own merit without forgetting what happened before.

"The Games began with teething pains but I commend VANOC (Vancouver Organising Committee) for rapdily correcting that and from then on things went extremely well.

"So in all, I can say that the IOC is happy with the Games."

It took until day three, but when Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's historic first home Olympic gold medal with his performance in the men's moguls, thousands of Canadians partied in the streets of Vancouver.

And the Canadians went on to become the most successful ever hosts of a Winter Olympics, thanks in part to their controversial 'Own The Podium' programme, which gave Canadian athletes more practice time at venues.

The men's ice hockey team provided a fairytale ending to the Games, with a 3-2 overtime victory over America to win the final gold medal in front of a wildly expectant crowd at Canada Hockey Place.

Elsewhere, American Shaun White lived up to his favourite's tag to retain his men's half-pipe title with the 23-year-old scoring 46.8 out of a possible 50, in a run which included his trademark double McTwist 1260.

The men's downhill, traditionally the blue ribbon event of the games, was won by Swiss skier Didier Defago, while Lindsey Vonn of the United States sealed the women's title.

After missing our four years ago, despite being tipped to win five medals, Bode Miller finally won gold.

The American became Olympic champion in the super-combined and completed his set with silver in the super-G.

Switzerland's Simon Ammann became the most successful ski jumper in Olympic history after winning his fourth individual gold, while Norway's Marit Bjoergen won two gold medals, taking the women's 15km pursuit after success in the women's 1.4km sprint classic and bronze in the 10km cross country.

Half-pipe highlights - White soars to gold
The British team, which came home from Turin four years ago with only Shelly Rudman's skeleton silver, improved on that showing overall with Williams' gold.

But several medal prospects disappointed, with the men's curling team, the current world champions, one of them.

Britain failed to even reach the semi-finals of the event, eventually won by Canada, after a 7-6 play-off defeat by European champions Sweden.

The team, led by skip David Murdock described their exit as "heart-breaking".

Meanwhile, Britain's women's curling team, led by 19-year-old Eve Muirhead, also failed to make it to the semi-finals - with Sweden winning the gold medal.

And there was more frustration when world champion bobsleigh partnership Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke crashed out on the third of their four runs - with the men's two-man and four-man teams also crashing out of contention.

The lack of medals won by Team GB, which consisted of 52 athletes, prompted Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave to suggest creating Britain's first long-track speed skating venue and housing other winter sports within it - an issue which may gather pace in the aftermath of the Games.

Learning lessons from Vancouver has been a key phrase from British officials throughout, not just in terms of sporting performance.

The national outpouring of support from the Canadian public has been noted, with the London 2012 organising committee (Locog) paying particularly close attention.

"The four 'S's we've identified - sport, service, stadia and sites - give us real food for thought and an added level of detail to our planning as we become the next taxi off the Olympic Games rank," said chairman Sebastian Coe

"Over the next two and a half years, we will use this information to ensure that we stage a Games for everyone in London."

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:55 pm
by MacNews
It will be interesting to see the legacy of the Games. They wanted to be the 'greenest' games (Think of 5 different recycling boxes for just about everything). They wanted to be the safest games ever (Have the least amount of workplace injuries). And they also wanted to be healthiest games, and by that I mean food safety.

We would have a Health inspector oversee operations, and he wouldn't just come for a quick check, he'd be there for hours.

So it will be interesting to see if they reached their goals.

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:56 pm
by WestCoastJoe
Not every British news source is a scandalous, rabble-rousing, muck-raking trash dispenser.

The BBC actually had some nice things to say about the Vancouver Olympics. Not that anyone really needed to hear nice words from them. We know that we put on a wonderful show hosting the world.

It seems that the tradition outside of North America is that the country that wins the most gold medals wins the overall show. Cool. Very cool.
Canada topped the medal table, with 14 golds, seven silvers and five bronze medals, while the United States won the most medals with 37 overall.

Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said: "This extraordinary embrace by the entire city is something unique and has given a great atmosphere for these Games."
Again, not that we necessarily needed to hear it, but Rogge was very complimentary of our work.
Learning lessons from Vancouver has been a key phrase from British officials throughout, not just in terms of sporting performance.

The national outpouring of support from the Canadian public has been noted, with the London 2012 organising committee (Locog) paying particularly close attention.
I do not see how it could be possible for a city or country to match the spirit shown by the people of Vancouver and Whistler (indeed the spirit of the entire country). The spontaneous gatherings, the good will, the friendliness have been wonderful to see.

Our volunteer program is a model for the rest of the world.

Congratulations to our athletes for their courage, commitment, values and achievements.

I enjoyed the humorous aspects of the closing ceremonies as well. Very, Canadian. If I had been in the stands I would have proudly worn the moose antlers. Ha ha.
.................

Some events define a country. For Canada some of those events were Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Canada vs USSR 1972, Canada Cup 1987, Expo 67, Montreal Olympics, Calgary Olympics, Expo 86. These Vancouver Olympics are high on that list.

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:39 am
by Lions4ever
WestCoastJoe wrote:Not every British news source is a scandalous, rabble-rousing, muck-raking trash dispenser.

The BBC actually had some nice things to say about the Vancouver Olympics. Not that anyone really needed to hear nice words from them. We know that we put on a wonderful show hosting the world.
I agree. While some of the UK press may have been catty, nothing (that I read anyway) was factually incorrect. There was a very nice piece in the Guardian which can be read here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/fe ... best-worst

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:07 am
by B.C.FAN
Lions4ever wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:Not every British news source is a scandalous, rabble-rousing, muck-raking trash dispenser.

The BBC actually had some nice things to say about the Vancouver Olympics. Not that anyone really needed to hear nice words from them. We know that we put on a wonderful show hosting the world.
I agree. While some of the UK press may have been catty, nothing (that I read anyway) was factually incorrect. There was a very nice piece in the Guardian which can be read here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/fe ... best-worst
Sorry, but the writer's ignorance of the Winter Olympics is astounding. Snowboard parallel giant slalom is not a new sport. It's one of several winter sports in which racers get to go head-to-head rather than just against the clock. If the writer doesn't think that's exciting, he shouldn't be covering the Olympics.

I think the British writers who found so much to complain about spent too much time talking to each other in the windowless inner sanctum of the main press centre and not enough time sampling the electric atmosphere at the packed venues and on the streets. Will the British be so passionate about their Games? Will there be more demand from spectators than they can accommodate? Will the transportation system in London run as smoothly as Vancouver's did? Will athletes have such comfortable and convenient accommodations, so close to the main competition venues, restaurants, shops and party spots?

Jacques Rogge was quoted as saying the only host city in his experience came close to establishing the celebratory atmosphere of Vancouver was Sydney in 2000. Vancouverites and Canadians across the country embraced these Games with a passion. They've helped set a petty high standard for other Olympic hosts to meet.

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:28 am
by WestCoastJoe
Dmitry Medvedev demanded the resignation of the "fat cats" who he said bore responsibility for Russia's dismal performance, which saw them finish with just three golds. Despite bold predictions from sports officials it would finish in the top three, the country came 11th, well behind hosts Canada, who scooped a record 14 golds, and trailing South Korea, China and even the tiny Netherlands.
The Russians also judge the Games on the basis of most gold medals.

They say they finished 11th. This is based on gold medal total.

If they had just counted total medals they would have said they were fifth.

So when Jacques Rogge said to us: "You did it. You won." We did win. We won the Olympics. The entire show. Including both men's and women's hockey.

An amazing performance by all of our athletes, under unimaginable pressure.

And I still say the most amazing performance was the spirit of our people, as seen in the streets, and as seen with our phenomenal army of volunteers.

Very proud of the show we put on. Not just the Olympics, but what we said about our values, and our way of life in this country. Not purrfect, of course, but there is no better place on this earth. :beer:

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 1:08 pm
by WestCoastJoe
Canada's golden Games leave critics red-faced

By Peter O'Neil, Canwest News Europe Correspondent March 1, 2010

Canada's record-breaking gold medal grab, and the wave of flag-waving enthusiasm that accompanied it, appeared to both impress and startle the once-critical international media.

Most European sports pages and websites publish standings based on the highest number of gold medals taken, so many media outlets ranked Canada first Monday even though Canadian athletes ranked third in the total number of gold, silver and bronze medals won.

The London Times, which on Feb. 18 ridiculed Canada's “Calamity Games,” paid grudging respect to one of the British and U.S. media's main targets: the Own The Podium federal program to fund elite athletes.

“Canada has owned that bloody thing,” wrote columnist Rick Broadbent.
Thank you. The most gold medals. We won. Yee Haw ... :beer:

Moved this out of CFL Football Forum and into All Sport Forum - DH

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:04 pm
by Lions4ever
B.C.FAN wrote:
Lions4ever wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:Not every British news source is a scandalous, rabble-rousing, muck-raking trash dispenser.

The BBC actually had some nice things to say about the Vancouver Olympics. Not that anyone really needed to hear nice words from them. We know that we put on a wonderful show hosting the world.
I agree. While some of the UK press may have been catty, nothing (that I read anyway) was factually incorrect. There was a very nice piece in the Guardian which can be read here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/fe ... best-worst
Sorry, but the writer's ignorance of the Winter Olympics is astounding. Snowboard parallel giant slalom is not a new sport. It's one of several winter sports in which racers get to go head-to-head rather than just against the clock. If the writer doesn't think that's exciting, he shouldn't be covering the Olympics.

I think the British writers who found so much to complain about spent too much time talking to each other in the windowless inner sanctum of the main press centre and not enough time sampling the electric atmosphere at the packed venues and on the streets. Will the British be so passionate about their Games? Will there be more demand from spectators than they can accommodate? Will the transportation system in London run as smoothly as Vancouver's did? Will athletes have such comfortable and convenient accommodations, so close to the main competition venues, restaurants, shops and party spots?

Jacques Rogge was quoted as saying the only host city in his experience came close to establishing the celebratory atmosphere of Vancouver was Sydney in 2000. Vancouverites and Canadians across the country embraced these Games with a passion. They've helped set a petty high standard for other Olympic hosts to meet.
To be clear, I don't give a tinker's toss how London does at staging the Olys - I don't care how any place (including Vancouver) does at staging the Olympics - an event I don't care about (except from a current affairs perspective). I just posted the link out of interest to those who may wish to read a British piece that spoke well of Vancouver in the Oly context after so much snarkiness earlier. That is all.

Re: Canada Tops the Medals Table - BBC

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:02 pm
by kcin94
Lions4ever wrote:
To be clear, I don't give a tinker's toss how London does at staging the Olys - I don't care how any place (including Vancouver) does at staging the Olympics - an event I don't care about (except from a current affairs perspective). I just posted the link out of interest to those who may wish to read a British piece that spoke well of Vancouver in the Oly context after so much snarkiness earlier. That is all.
Agreed. With the exception of not knowing that Parallel Giant Slalom wasn't new, I don't see much wrong with the article. In fact he said the people of Vancouver was one of the best thing about the games.