Winter Olympic medals:Australia,Canada,etc

[Dave, Melbourne,Australia]

http:www.theage.com.au/sport/buying-goldmedal-glory-cuts-no-ice-20100307-ppzy.html

This article appeared in Melbourne newspaper The Age after the Winter Olympics. It is one journalist's opinion. I don't follow Winter Olympics enough to judge how right or wrong he got it. Judging by the reader comments added below the article, this journalist and the handling of sports in Australia have polarised opinions among Australians.

[Dave, Melbourne,Australia]

I should add that the "Dave" in Melbourne who submitted a comment re this article on Mar7 is not this Dave.

By the way, I once visited Sochi, the Russian town hosting the next Winter Olympics. I spent one night there in Dec1987. I don't remember much apart from walking on the stony Black Sea beach, a maximum temperature around 10degC (50degF) and my surprise at seeing palm trees along the foreshore.

[charlene]

The monies spent on athletes/training/facilities etc. was basically because the Olympics were being held here in Canada. We had never won a gold medal in winter olympics held here in 2 previous Olympics and the Own The Podium initiative may not have ended with us winning the most medals but the most 'first place' medals, breaking a record for winter games. It is yet to be seen if the monies will continue to flow.
The country wide involvement and sense of pride was beyond amazing. Television viewing of the Olympics was off the charts (as it was in the U.S. too) - Something like 75% of Canadians watched the gold medal hockey game last sunday. OUr previous polite platitudes of "oh we're just happy to be here..." when we'd fail to get to the podium left everyone with a sense of helplessness. It may have seemed 'un-canadian' to have "Own the Podium" but it gave the athletes so much support - it wasn't just about getting to the podium - it was about a pride and feel good attitude we finally could display and revel in. It's good for a country to feel it and not feel guilty. There's many things abut the Olympics I don't care for but I admire those who sacrifice for their sport and country. For years Canadian athletes received little or no money, some still don't but it certainly was a wonderful 17 days of high and low emotions and some amazingly brave athletes giving their all, some in the most dire of circumstances. I loved it all. THe few athletes from 'summer' climes showed as much grit as those from winter climes and they did it with class and grace and humour. Well except for that former canuck, now aussie who should have been given a gold medal for poutiness..lol
Yep - it's just sports.
But it really is so much more and no I don't mean in regards to 'my country vs. your country' sort of thinking...
It can and does bring out the best in everyone involved. (with a few exceptions)
Not everyone is crazy about sports and that's fine...but I think we all can relate to how wanting and working to to be the best we can be in our own lives makes everyone a winner.

[charlene]

Originally Posted by Dave, Melbourne,Australia

I should add that the "Dave" in Melbourne who submitted a comment re this article on Mar7 is not this Dave.

By the way, I once visited Sochi, the Russian town hosting the next Winter Olympics. I spent one night there in Dec1987. I don't remember much apart from walking on the stony Black Sea beach, a maximum temperature around 10degC (50degF) and my surprise at seeing palm trees along the foreshore.

I've read they have a much more temperate winter climate than Vancouver..good luck in 2014. I don't know if they'll be able to pull off bringing in snow by helicopter, train and truck and re-building a whole mogul mountain out of haystacks from all over North America like they did in B.C. The efforts to allow the snow sports to happen deserved a gold medal.

[jj]

Originally Posted by charlene

Well except for that former canuck, now aussie who should have been given a gold medal for poutiness..lol

he actually had the same look even when he won the gold 4 years ago...someone said they call him the iceman...anyhow, i think they should just have flat out speed contest for moguls and get rid of the jumps thrown in with that subjective judging and degree of difficulty stuff...anything with judging usually leaves room for second guessers

i wish we could have kept begg-smith in canada and instead declined to have that Aussie producer of the opening and closing ceremonies(cardboard cutouts and inflatables, etc)...even though $40M is a small budget, that is a lot of my money paid to see mostly a bunch of lip synching and flicking flashlights in the crowd

...except for the athlete parade (costless), anthem and olympic hym during flag passing, i think it's all a waste of funds and i'm sure glad we didn't spend the $350M that Beijing did for their big shows...i'm not much of a fireworks person and i even cringed then laffed when they were set off inside the hockey arena after women's and men's final victories...save that crap for Raptor games or Disney magic eves

i never complained when canada didnt finish in an 'acceptable' spot at prior olympics...i think there are only a few folks who are consistently at the top of their league in these events and for the rest it seems anyone could win on a given day under given conditions...there is no disputing the chinese gal is the best figure skater, i'd say the canucks controlled the puck (doesnt always make you the best team or guarantee victory though) most of the tourney, the canuck men's curlers, dutch skaters, vonn on the slopes, those korean short trackers, etc, etc.... my idea of a good skating race is the one they have around the canals of the netherlands...the first book i read independently was hans brinker and the golden blades (or something to that effect)...someday i'd like to see Ottawa area get the games one day, maybe they could have a real 'long track' race on the Rideau canal where everyone starts at once and you can tell who is actually winning....btw, that short track stuff seems just plain dumb and beggin for controversy...curling is actually the only thing that's cut and dried, no controversy...that is until they start allowing full body contact while one's opponent is sweeping

well, good luck london and soshi, can't wait to read the press you will be getting

[jj]

Originally Posted by charlene

I loved it all

me too, i realize it more as we now get further away from those moments

i grew to enjoy the coverage, especially the morning crew quirkiness...would turn on the tube at 6am to see them telecast live from the village at 3 am vancouver time...always great hilights from day/eve before...that 'jay' was a card and grelo was always cute in a rippa kinda way

looking back, there were a few good live tracks performed at those ceremonies...gotta say, GL helping to carry that Olympian flag in woulda really have been a nice moment