Latest Sport
Varsity
Winter Olympics: Roundup
![Winter+Games+NZ+Day+5+Alpine+Skiing+5WJuTEof8NPl[1].jpg](http://inquirelive.co.uk/files/images/Winter+Games+NZ+Day+5+Alpine+Skiing+5WJuTEof8NPl[1].jpg)
There was finally something to cheer about from a British perspective at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver after 27 year old Amy Williams, claimed a stunning gold medal in the women’s skeleton, an event that only lasts roughly 54 seconds per run (or in Williams case, a track record of 53.68 seconds) , but has the potential to reach speeds of up to 90mph and is generally considered one of the most dangerous sports around, with the competitors head only inches away from the solid ice.
It was Britain’s first individual gold medal at a winter games for 30 years since the figure skater, Robin Cousins in 1980 at Lake Placid. It was an even more surprising victory considering that she was not considered one of the favourites going into the competition. That accolade went to the home hope Melissa Hollingworth, but she struggled with the expectation and could only manage to finish 5th, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.
Afterwards, Williams acknowledged that she wasn’t one of the favourites, but still showed her delight at claiming the gold, “To have the medal now is incredible. I didn't think I would get a medal - I was just hoping to do better than my training runs”. Fellow British competitor and Turin 2006 silver medal winner, Shelley Rudman failed to get on the podium this time around, yet still finished in a creditable 6th place, although it could have been dramatically better if not for a disappointing first run.
Despite this result, the Olympics as a whole has been overshadowed following the tragic death of the young Georgian luge athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili. The 21 year old Georgian’s sled flipped during a practise session and sent the athlete over a concrete wall, before colliding into a steel pole at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Medical staff attempted to resuscitate him at a local hospital but was later pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.
The reason this was seen as so shocking was that prior to the Vancouver Games, no Winter Olympic athlete had been killed during an event. There had been many concerns regarding the safety of the track previously, and it was in fact the same track, that caused the British competitor Adam Rosen to crash during a training session the previous year. He suffered a dislocated hip, as well as nerve and tendon damage.
In a round-up of the events to have taken place so far, Canada also had reasons to celebrate, as Canada’s first gold medal on home soil was won in the men’s moguls by 22 year old Alexandre Bilodeau. The moguls, involve skiing over a series of bumps, known as moguls, as well as attempting 2 spectacular jumps, all of which are judged for technique and style.
Two of the most exciting events to have taken place so far have been the men’s halfpipe and both the men’s and women’s snowboard cross respectively. In the halfpipe, American Shaun White (also known as the ‘Flying Tomato’) dominated the field to claim the gold, before going on to introduce a previously unseen trick, known as the ‘Tomahawk’ (also known as a double McTwist 1260), which left the spectators stunned as it was considered too dangerous to attempt, although not any longer.
The snowboard cross has been the most exciting event so far to watch. A combination of speed, over-taking and spectacular crashes makes sure that spectator’s eyes are firmly fixed on the frantic action. The men’s event was won by a matter of inches by the American Seth Wescott, successfully defending his title from 4 years ago in Turin. There was more success for Canada in the women’s event for Canada as Maelle Ricker cruised to victory and another gold medal for the home nation.
In the skiing events, it was skiing’s pin-up girl, Lindsey Vonn from the USA who won the so called ‘blue-ribboned event’ in the downhill for the women, whilst the men’s downhill has won by Switzerland’s Didier Defago.
There are still many events to be decided before the final day of competition on the 28th February; with the highlight being both the men’s and women’s ice hockey, as the pressure is firmly placed on both Canadian teams to succeed in front of their home crowd. It has been reported in the Canadian press that if there was one gold medal the Canadians would like to win at these Winter Games, it would be that of ice-hockey, considering it is the nation’s main sport. In comparison, it would be like the entire population of England expecting to win the football World Cup in South Africa 2010. Now that is some serious pressure and expectation to live up to.