| I am not a die-hard sports enthusiast, but confess I | | | | accompany this sport! Imagine four Newfoundlanders |
| enjoyed watching the winter Olympics held in Turino | | | | winning the gold - talk about a party when they get |
| Italy. It was nice to watch something positive and | | | | home! |
| motivational for a change and to delight in some truly | | | | There is the luge where, depending on the event, one |
| amazing and generous acts. I find the wide variety of | | | | or two people lie on their backs on a sled going down |
| sports showcased fascinating, proving there is a lot | | | | a tight twisty run ... feet first. You might think that is |
| one can do in cold climates of winter! | | | | scary enough until you see those in the skeleton event, |
| Consider the spectrum of sports. There are the many | | | | maybe appropriately named. These athletes go down |
| varieties of skiing. The downhill event has skiers | | | | a steep ice track, on a sled, that has no brakes, |
| reaching speeds of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph), | | | | headfirst. Hmmm ... where do they find people to do |
| you get speeding tickets for going that fast in a car! | | | | this? |
| Imagine what it takes to be a ski jumper as you | | | | Then there is ice hockey. Grown men and women |
| attempt to imitate flight and defy gravity the longest | | | | strap on boots with blades on the bottom, use curved |
| once you are airborne. Picture the freestyle skiers who | | | | sticks to shoot a hard rubber disk in the opponents net. |
| twist and turn in the air so fast I don't know how the | | | | This happens as they skate at up to 50 km per hour |
| commentators can describe their incredible aerial feats. | | | | (30 mph) and shoot the puck at over 150 kph (95 mph) |
| The cross-country skiers have tremendous endurance, | | | | while maneuvering around on ice. A shame both the |
| and some stop to shoot rifles while trying to manage | | | | NHL laden U.S.A and Canadian teams didn't even |
| their beating hearts and gasping lungs. | | | | make it to the semi-finals. Perhaps too much talent, not |
| We were witness to a newer Olympic event that | | | | enough "team". |
| debuted in Nagano in 1998, snowboarding. I think the | | | | Over the 17-day period, 2,500 athletes from 85 nations |
| snowboarders had the most fun creating their lexicon | | | | competed for 84 medals in seven sports. We shared |
| when they speak of a McTwist, Fakie, Duckfoot, an | | | | the pride of those on the podium as they smiled or |
| Ollie or a Nollie! Didn't it just used to be Narly ... or was | | | | cried as their national anthem played before the world. |
| that suffer speak and I've just dated myself? | | | | Two single acts at this twentieth Olympic Games |
| There are those flashy speed skaters in their skin-tight | | | | stand out in my mind and will for many years. |
| outfits who fly around an oval ice surface at up to 60 | | | | I applaud gold medalist Joey Cheek, the USA speed |
| kph (37 mph) battling G forces in the turns. The figure | | | | skater for donating his $25,000 bonus to Right to Play, |
| skaters entertained us with their dance routines and | | | | an organization of former Olympic, Paralympic and |
| inspiring jumps. They also showed tremendous grit | | | | professional athletes worldwide who support using |
| when Zhang Dan a Chinese pairs figure skater had a | | | | sport for development, health and peace. Good for |
| spectacular fall which made anyone watching cringe. | | | | you Joey, you are an inspiration to many. |
| To our disbelief, this 20 year old got up, completed the | | | | Perhaps the defining moment of the Games was |
| routine, and won the silver medal. Awesome. | | | | when Sara Renner, a Canadian broke her ski pole in a |
| We can't forget the curlers. A sport many find strange, | | | | cross-country team sprint event. A Norwegian coach |
| but appreciate the accuracy involved in curling your | | | | gave her a pole to finish the race. She and teammate |
| rock down a 44 meter (49 yard) ice surface and | | | | Beckie Scott went on to win the silver medal. To me |
| trying to hit a bulls eye with two sweepers helping | | | | this unselfish act defines sportsmanship and is hard |
| control speed and direction of a heavy stone, while | | | | evidence the true Olympic spirit lives on. See you in |
| you opponent is attempting to block you or knock you | | | | Vancouver in 2010. |
| on every throw. Lots of yelling and physics | | | | |