Bring The Flame, Start the Games
Chi Town’s Shani Davis Seeks Olympic Gold As Five DC Area Athletes Compete On Behalf of Their Home Countries
By Robert Bernstein
Shani Davis from Chicago is favored to win gold medal for USA in speed skating. Photo: theage.com.au
With all of the snow on the ground in the capital region this week, the time might be right to watch other people tussle in the white stuff. Get set for the XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Feb 12. NBC and its companion networks will carry the broadcast. The opening ceremony will be broadcast at 7:30 pm EST.
The Chinese certainly set a high bar at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and winter game launches don’t always have the same spectacle of summer competitions. But count on the Canadians to put on an elaborate show. The torch itself has been carried 45,000 km through rough and subs zero terrain.
According to eworldnez.com, the dazzling event will include local pop stars Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan, a performer ski jumping through Olympic rings and hundreds of performers dressed in red toques and white sweaters. The ceremony will have heavy aboriginal involvement and themes. Expect a few well-recognized surprise contributors and performers to add to the dazzle as well.
Despite a recent shin injury, Lindsey Vonn is hopeful that she will win the first-ever USA gold medal in women's downhill skiing. Photo: saidonline.com
While most Americans look to the Summer Olympics for the more recognizable sports, the USA will be making its mark on the winter games. The Canadians plan to have something to say about that, however, as our northern neighbor plans to make history by winning the most gold medals ever in an Olympic winter game competition.
The signature event is alpine skiing and in both men’s and women’s disciplines the USA has strong medal contenders. In downhill, the glamour event, the USA women are led by Lindsey Vonn. Vonn is a consistent World Cup skiing champion and the only thing keeping her from Olympic gold might be a recent shin injury. Additionally, Julia Mancuso has a good chance to earn a medal. The men’s team boasts two contenders: Bode Miller and Ted Ligety.
In the most Canadian of sports, hockey, the showdown for gold appears to be between the host Canadians and the Russian team led by local DC star Alex Ovechkin. The USA has an outside chance for a medal and the tournament will be exciting as all of the teams are liberally comprised of many NHL stars. From our area, there are five Washington Capitals hockey players going to the Olympics, playing for other countries. For Russia: Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Semyon Varlamov. Tomáš Fleischmann is playing for Czech Republic. Nicklas Backstrom for Sweden.
Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin will be competing in hockey to win gold for his motherland, Russia. Photo: wordpress.com
There are two other interesting sports in these games and in both, the American participation will be important.
In speed skating, there is a very determined American, Shani Davis of Chicago who is favored to earn gold in both the 1000 meters and the 1500 meters.
In the bobsled, the USA hopes to medal for the first time in many years. The most likely winners are Jon Napier and Steve Holcomb, leaders of two sleds in the men’s four-man bob.
The wide variety of sports and the continuous coverage will showcase many stars while permitting the casual fan the opportunity to view and learn about many different or new sports.
NBC promises extensive coverage daily coverage during the two weeks of the games. Go to www.nbcolympics.com for scheduling information.
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