March 5, 2010 Chautauqua

From the Editor's Computer

Vancouver 2010 will not be forgotten any time soon.

From the Opening Ceremonies - with the poignant minute of silence to remember Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili - which I watched, as thrilled and mesmerized as the audience in BC, to the Closing Ceremonies - I chuckled as Michael J. Fox claiming all the other nations’ athletes (and their medals!) for Canada - they were quite the Olympic Games!

Our first Gold medal, won on Canadian soil, was presented to Alexandre Bilodeau in Freestyle Skiing - Men's Moguls. A proud moment that he shared with his brother Frederic, and that touched our hearts.

History was also made, when Figure Skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won Gold in the Ice Dance.

Our women speed skaters stole the show and a few medals too. From Christine Nesbitt’s Gold to Clara Hughes’ Bronze, our women showed the world how fast they can skate. We can’t forget how well the men did either.

Joannie Rochette’s Bronze in Ladies Figure Skating was a triumph, in more ways than one.

We also excelled in the many free-style events on the ski hills.

I watched the Gold medal matches in Women’s and Men’s Curling. Yes, I admit I watched curling, and yes, I admit that I enjoyed it - only because it was more dramatic with a gold medal on the line. Cheryl Bernard’s rink was outstanding, as was Kevin Martin’s, for Silver and Gold respectively.

Our women’s hockey team won their third consecutive gold medal. I watched, as did most of Canada, as the men’s team kept us on the edge of our seats as we waited for that final winning goal by Sidney Crosby.

As Canadians, we have lots to be proud of. The most gold medals won ever in a Winter Olympic Games (14) and a total of 26 medals which is an outstanding number for Canada.

Our Canadian athletes “owned the podium” in ways we never have before. Not just the athletes who stood on the podium, but ALL our athletes, no matter where they placed.

Those are just some of our special stories from Vancouver 2010. Every other athlete and nation represented also has their own story and together, those stories make up the magic that was evident in these Games.

Hats off to all the athletes - no matter what country they represented, the coaches, the volunteers and everyone who made the Vancouver 2010 Games possible and so magical for us all.

Let us keep the feeling alive as we prepare to cheer on the Paralympic athletes March 12 - March 21.

“I believe in the power of you and I…”

Beth

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