I've seen a thread for the football World Cup, even though that's months away, but I haven't seen a thread for the Olympic Winter Games, which begins this week (though if there is one I do apologise for making a new thread).

So, let the Games begin! The Opening Ceremony is on Friday, and I'm travelling to Italy TODAY! I'm gonna be working as a volunteer at the curling venue in Pinerolo, and I have tickets to the Mens' short program and free skate of figure skating, which I'm very happy for. And hey, 20 days in bella Italia, in or near the town where Nutella was invented? Wheeeeee!

Anyhoo, I'm hoping for Sweden to win the hockey tournaments, the Russians to take a sweep in the figure skating and ice dance, Anja to beat Janica and the rest of the medals, well, as many as possible to Sweden, then the rest to Norway, Russia and the Czech Republic.

I dunno if I'll have access to the internet while I'm there, but if not I'll see y'all in 20 days!

Torino

Pic source

Well Australia the Land down under which really doesn`t experience much snow and is currently baking through summer is sending its largest team ever. Its around 30-40 I think but dont quote me on that. At the last couple of Winter games we have won a couple of medals but this year we have only set ourselves a target medal haul of one.

USA got 30+ medals 4 years ago We have more champions in our team than ever before. I hope for a sweep in Hockey...and everything else

GO USA

scott neidemeyar will not paly on the canadian olympic mens hockey team
not a good thing, but the team should still do well and crush sweden.
sorry sofia

Ditto!!

USA! USA! USA!

I love the Winter games most of all; the sports and the places where the games are held. I just wish the TV Stations would show more coverage like 24 hours worth until it's all over.
I'm not stuck just cheering for my Country. I cheer for all of them, it takes great skill to be there and many scarifice just to go, so cheers to all of the members.
I feel for the members from other countries. Some have been training most of their lives. I really feel for them.

canada.
1 gold, 1 bronze so far, and womens hockey team rolls over the oppostion.
mens hockey starts this week, looking forward to that.

.........Usa if off to a mediocre start....Apollo fell in speed speedskating, and we did ok in snowboarding...I hope we pick up the slack...

I've been enjoying the competitions; on Sunday, they had all day coverage.

Doesn't neccissarily cheer for my country..... some would say that is a bad thing. But I like to watch the games for the competition of it. I am happy for those that perform well and I cringe when a competitor gets hurt or messes up their chances of winning through accident or missed timing.

Aussie takes mogul gold

Feb 16, 2006

Favourite Dale Begg-Smith lived up to his pre-Olympic billing to snatch Australia's first gold of the Torino Games in the men's freestyle skiing moguls on Thursday.

The Canadian-born Australian, 21, topped qualifying to ski last in the final but he coped with the pressure to earn 26.77 points out of 30 from the judges.

It was Australia's third gold in Winter Olympics history following their breakthrough in Salt Lake City in 2002.

"It's awesome. I obviously didn't see the other runs so I didn't know if it was a gold medal run but it was definitely one of my best," Begg-Smith told reporters.

Former world champion Mikko Ronkainen of Finland had earlier come from nowhere with an exhilarating run to end up with silver, having been in the gold medal position until World Cup leader Begg-Smith stole his glory.

Toby Dawson of the US took bronze in a high quality and close final under the floodlights on the artificial snow.

Several riders found tremendous height off the air bumps and managed to cross their skis while performing tricks with Begg-Smith producing a 720 degree off-axis spin to win.

Begg-Smith, whose brother Jason was knocked out in qualifying earlier, was born in Vancouver and was part of the Canadian development squad.

However, he moved to Australia with his brother and gained citizenship in order to work with respected coach Steve Desovich.

American contender Jeremy Bloom was hoping to grab an Olympic medal before he jets home for the NFL Combine, a training camp for American Footballers crawling with big league scouts, but he could only finish sixth.

Canadian fans, deprived of supporting Begg-Smith, at least had Marc-Andre Moreau's fourth place to celebrate. Unheralded Swede Jesper Bjoernlund finished fifth.

Linky

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!

Go US! We are owning in snowboarding!

ooooh big upset in womens hockey.
the swedes beat the sates in a shootout and now go to the goldmedal game.
first time ever the american women have not been in the gold medal game.
sweden will play the winner of canada vs finland.

yeah, and we beat the US gentlemens too!

GO SWEDEN!!! so far we got 2 golds, 1 silver and 3 bonze... quite good for a nations with only 9 million ppl - like new york

the canadian mens hockey team needs to learn to score goals again.
not panicked yet, it's still the prelim round and canada has qulaified for the quarters.
but still.
and it's good the swedish women have made it to the gold medal game, big advancement for womens hockey, as it has only been the U.S. and canada in every final.
good luck sweden!!!
not really

Jacqui and Alisa go for glory after night of tears
22 Feb 2006
After eight long years of injury and heartache, finally exhilaration and tears of joy for the veteran of the Australian Winter Olympic Team, Jacqui Cooper.

Cooper lit up the night sky in Sauze d’Oulx on 21 February (Day 11) with two near perfect jumps, which landed her two world records and the number one qualifying position going into the gold medal round tonight (Day 12).

On the comeback trail after knee and shoulder surgery Cooper had no hesitation in attempting her trademark jump, a triple-twisting triple somersault. The landing was perfect, the score a massive 113.80, and first place.

“That was probably a great jump for me, a real confidence boost, just what I needed. I hadn't landed a triple somersault in competition in four years since a couple of weeks before the last Olympics,” Cooper said.

Linky!

Hopefully one of our girls can bring home our second gold medal of these games!

^Sadly Jacqui Cooper crashed and finished eighth in the final but Alisa camplin scored bronze for us Aussie just months after major knee surgery!

USA is doing well...go knocked out of hockey, and got silver in skating...

10000 meter speedskating is coming up!

^ 10 km spped skate.....WTF?!!?

Haha...as you guys may, or may not know, the Canadian curling team has advanced to the gold medal game. The team is made of ALL Newfoundlanders. So, we were told today, that the WHOLE PROVINCE won't have school that evening, so we can watch the game

I probably won't watch it, but it's cool, never-the-less.

Did you hear that they had to postpone a few events because it was snowing?

That's like cancelling the sailing because it's a bit windy!

Okay, we'll just wait till it's sunny instead

All i have to say is that im Canadian. It's the capital of multiculturalness in our the world. And Canada lost in the Olympic Hockey, a sport we win. I got people of every race and nationality angered. We accept nothing but gold . Dang patriotic olympics.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CANADA GOT GOLD IN CURLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A crowd of us went over to a freinds placed, watched the game, had a laugh. One of the greatest moments in our Olympic history

US got bronze in curling...our first curling medal...

Heinrich got silver in the 10000 meter speed skating!

Apollo Anton Ohno got Gold! YAY (500m shortrtack)

VANCOUVER 2010!

~Thanato

The games are officially over...It was great.

The closing cermony, like always, was awesome.

Vancouver 2010

Meh, that game was zzzzzz compared to the ladies final, where Sweden got the gold! And I know for sure, as I was working in the arena and watched both matches.

The Swedish hockey ladies got the silver, and I sez like this: Bronze in Salt Lake City. Silver in Torino. Watch out Canada, we're taking the GOLD on Vancouver!

Need I mention the men's hockey team?

Cause you have Forsberg....I can't believe the Avs let him get away.

Can't say Forsberg was the most dominant player this time around. Sure, he's important, but in the end he had 6 assists or so, and 0 goals. Sweden won by team effort.

Guess so...The three Swede Red Wings played great...