Winter Olympics Diary Day One: Tragedy strikes as Games get underway
Over the next fortnight or so, ski journalist Vince Shuley will provide a daily diary from the Winter Olympics, updating us on all the latest Games gossip, exclusive insights from competitors and expert betting advice. Here he tells us about a day of triumph and tragedy…
“Despite the death of an athlete and bands of hooded anarchists, the spirit of competitive sport triumphed.”
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games are officially underway after the Opening Ceremony in Vancouver last night.
The first day of the games is a story of triumph and tragedy, one that will be remembered throughout Olympic history. While the Torch made its final rounds through the outskirts of Vancouver, 21-year-old Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was on a training run and crashed on the final corner of the Whistler Sliding Center. He was killed instantly.
Premier British Columbia Gordon Campbell released this statement yesterday: “On behalf of all British Columbians, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the people of Georgia and to the family and teammates of Nodar Kumaritashvili in the wake of this terrible accident. The loss of a gifted, talented young athlete training for the opening of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games is heartbreaking for people around the globe.”
There were other dramas going on during the day in Vancouver. Anti-Olympic protesters, a mix of First Nations elders, environmentalists and civil rights advocates, marched through Downtown Vancouver for approximately four hours. One protester and two police officers were injured.
But despite the death of an athlete and bands of hooded anarchists, the spirit of competitive sport triumphed. At the opening ceremony celebrations in Whistler Village, patriotic Canadians formed a sea of red. The televised world looked on as legends of Canadian sport such as Steve Nash and Wayne Gretzky carried the torch to the cauldron to the applause of over 50,000 spectators.
Events start today in full swing, despite earlier false rumours that Cypress Mountain doesn’t have the snow. VANOC has worked tirelessly to make sure the snowboard and freestyle courses are covered and ready for competition.
Best Bet: Men’s Alpine Downhill Gold Medal – Bode Miller 12.0
While performing poorly at past Olympics, Miller has had more World Cup victories than anyone in the history of the US Ski team. This Olympics he has nothing to lose, which means he’ll probably win.
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