Broadside Sports

Jerry Holy, Broadside Correspondent

Four years after Torino in 2006, the world turned its attention to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for the 21st Winter Olympic Games. Vancouver witnessed many triumphs, defeats, successes, disappointments and redemptions.

The United States currently leads the medal count at 37 medals, seven medals in front of Germany.
This year’s Olympics started with a tragedy. The death of 21-year old Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on the luge track was a sad moment for everyone.

A moment of silence was held in honor of Kumaritashvili during the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 12th, where his fellow Georgian athletes wore black in remembrance. In spite of this tragedy, each Georgian athlete went on to compete in their events, and the Games began.

Team USA got the early lead in the medal count when Apolo Anton Ohno and teammate J.R. Celski took the silver and bronze medals in the men’s 1500-meter short track event. Ohno went on to win the bronze medal in the men’s 1000-meter short track, making him the most decorated USA short-track skater.

On the same day, Hannah Kearney and Shannon Bahrke won the gold and bronze medals in the women’s moguls event. Kearney, the favorite to win the gold medal in Torino, redeemed herself after not even qualifying four years ago. Bryon Wilson went on to win the bronze in the men’s moguls event.
Skier Bode Miller aimed for redemption after not receiving a medal at all in Torino. Miller went on to win the bronze medal in the men’s downhill event, silver medal in men’s super-G event and the gold medal in the men’s super combined event. Fellow teammate Andrew Weibrecht also won the bronze medal in the men’s super-G event.

Seth Wescott went on to defend his gold medal from Torino in the men’s snowboard cross event. Unfortunately for Lindsey Jacobellis, she fell short of competing for a medal in the women’s snowboard cross event.

In figure skating, Evan Lysacek put on a performance of a lifetime, winning the gold medal over Yevgeny Plushenko of Russia. Lysacek is the first American to win gold since Scott Hamilton in 1984.
Japan also earned its first men’s figure skating medal. Johnny Weir and Jeremy Abbott both placed in the top 10, with Weir finishing sixth and Abbott placing ninth.

In ice dancing, Canada and the U.S. took gold and silver while Russia played spoiler for a North American sweep of the medals. Meryl Davis and Charlie Davis earned the silver while Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto placed fourth.

Team USA also set a new U.S. Winter Olympics record when it won six medals in one day. Three of those medals were gold.

Lindsey Vonn took home the gold in the women’s downhill event while Juila Mancuso took the silver. Both women would later earn another medal each.

Shani Davis took the gold in the men’s 1000-meter speed skating event with Chad Herrick taking bronze.
Shaun White and Scotty Lago received gold and silver in the men’s snowboard halfpipe event. The U.S. would also go two and three in women’s snowboard halfpipe.

Team USA Hockey also put on an impressive performance. The men pulled off an epic 5-3 victory over Canada on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.”

The women’s hockey team also did not disappoint with a stunning semifinal 9-1 victory over Sweden.
Women’s ice hockey went a little differently, however, with Canada beating Team USA in the gold medal game Thursday night.

For more information and results of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Team USA, visit http://www.nbcolympics.com.