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