Run Down of Vancouver So Far

Today is Day 8 of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. And I decide start my blog in the middle of everything. Sigh. But anyways, first things first. A quick rundown/snippets of what has happened so far.

Day 1(2/12/2010)
With the Opening Ceremony on its way, Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili had a fatal accident on the luge track. He was only 21 and was looked as a successor of his family of lugers. Everything that can be reported or opinionated about this has already been said. May he rest in peace.

Day 2(2/13/2010)
Women's freestyle skiing was a doosey. Hannah Kearney, the 23 year old who didn't even qualify at the Torino Games of 2006, took the gold medal. All I could concentrate on when she was coming down the moguls were her pigtails that were poking out of her helmet! Canadian Jennifer Heil took the silver and fellow American Shannon Bahrke took the bronze.

And now to short track. Can anyone think of a more drama than the one between the South Koreans and Apolo Ohno? Yeah. I didn't think so. This all stemmed from the Olympics, 8 years ago, when the gold was given to Ohno instead of Kim Dong-Sung(I think this is his name) of South Korea who finished the race first and was ALREADY waving around his country's flag. How devastating was it when the judges announced that he was disqualified for "interfering" with Ohno. Back to 2010, in this medals race during the 1500m short track, the 3 Koreans were leading towards the last turn and than BAM! The second and third Koreans wiped each other out. This gave Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski a free pass to the silver and bronze alongside Lee Jung Su who got the gold for Korea. While watching this, I couldn't help but see that the 3 Koreans were team racing during an individuals race with the objective to get Ohno out. But that's just me. I must say that Ohno was LUCKY to get that silver because of the Koreans' mistake. From now until Apolo retires from speedskating, the South Koreans will be gunning for him. But anyways, go Apolo!

I don't like the NBC commentators.

Day 3 (2/14/2010)
The story of the day, for Canada, was of Alex Bilodeau. Everyone in Canada now knows his name. Bilodeau won Canada's first gold medal at these games for freestyle skiing. His aerials were just breathtaking! He beat last Olympics gold medalist (the very private/quiet/allergic to people)Australian Dale Begg-Smith. Canada celebrated all night long for their gold medalist. Alex said his brother, who is 6 years older and has cerebral palsy, was his rock.

And the story of the night belonged to the pairs figure skating short program. Chinese pair(married, off the ice) Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao DAZZLED with their program to Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever." It was just sheer perfection. The audience knew it and the judges knew it. It wasn't just the axels and the throws that were perfect. The emotions to the music and to each other were all there. And they broke a record of having the highest score(since the new scoring program was implemented) for the short program.

But another interesting story was of the Germans' costumes. Oh, the costumes. The pair were dressed as clowns. I didn't know what to say but hey, it was definitely interesting.

The commentators are getting on my nerves.

Day 4 (2/15/2010)
Yep! Pairs figure skating again! This night was for the medals. Even though Shen and Zhao won the gold(their dream and goal at these games), I must say the night belonged to their teammates, Qing Pang and Jian Tong. Just like how Shen and Zhao hit so many moves perfectly and so many emotions, that's what Pang and Tong did this night. The silver medalists. The German team(yep, the clowns), Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy won the bronze. Savchenko and Szolkwy will definitely be back. They were 2 time world champions during the time before Shen and Zhao came back out of retirement. And I'm excited to see what they will bring to the skating grounds.
Congrats to Shen and Zhao! Did you react the same way I did? When Shen and Zhao's final score appeared on the TV screen and said they got the first place a.k.a. the gold medal a.k.a. the big cheese and all they did was just kind of looked at each other, around and chitchatted...I was thinking, "That's it!? THAT's how you feel?!" Two seconds later, it was announced that Shen and Zhao were in first place. Then, they both went,"AHHHHHH!!!" That's much better!

This was the first time in 40+ years that the Russians or Soviets have not medaled in pairs skating. And the stupid camera guy kept his camera in the Russian team's face just to see how disappointed they were. Really, now. Let them be. Yuko Kavaguti(changed her last name to the Russian spelling), and Alexander Smirnov came in 4th. But to be honest I didn't think they were THAT good. And I was also thinking...are you sure you're the Russian team? When asked if they will be back for next Olympics, Yuko said she's not so sure. This was her and Smirnov's first Olympics. Will it be their last?

And in Men's Snowboard Cross, Seth Wescott, the gold medalist from the last Olympics, won the gold. A first in snowboarding with a back to back gold! And he's in his 30s! makes me strive to be half as good as he is. I gots time...at least that's what I tell myself! Nate Holland, the other American, finished fourth. Holland was the one who stated how snowboarders should not have tight clothing on during competition because it was leaning away from the rebel status snowboarding was...

Day 5(2/16/2010)
My gosh, am I there yet?? What happened this day? The Women's alpine skiing was cancelled because it was slushy, foggy, and everything that could possibly go wrong with Cypress Mountain, did this day.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike the commentators?

Day 6 (2/17/10)
Two names. And if you haven't heard of these guys, then it's time to get out from under that rock. Shani Davis (1,000 Speedskating). Shaun White (Half-Pipe). Both are gold medal repeats from Torino. Awesome. Perfect. Enough said.

Day 7 (2/18/2010)

Evan! Evan! Evan! In Men's figure skating, Evan Lysacek skated two flawless programs and beat the "unbeatable" Yevgeny Plushenko of Russia. And that's how you win gold. Also, the first ever Japanese man medaled for figure skating. Daisuke Takahashi. His name will be coming up a lot more in the future of this sport. He was a joy to watch =)

P.S. Johnny Weir skated his life out there and he came in 6th place. Respectable rank...but I truly think he was jipped. He deserved more than what the judges gave him. *shakes head* Weir does have a lot of talk, but he also walks the walk. And I can't help but love him for the way he is. He "rocked that tassel." You know every man on Team USA has to be somewhat jealous of him rooming with Tanith Belbin, who is the beautiful other half of America's ice dancing team.

Women's half pipe was dominated by Torah Bright of Australia early on in the competition and walked away with the gold. With silver going to Hanna Teter (who's selling her undies for charity) and bronze for Kelly Clark (who does some mean karaoke). Throughout this competition, I was surprised to see how well the Chinese were doing. And they are making fast improvement in the sport. They'll be back to give the leaders of the field today, a run for their money tomorrow.

Ok. The commentators need to shut it for the rest of the games.

Day 8 (2/19/2010)
Oh my goodness. Finally caught up. Bode Miller made us proud! He has a new attitude and new focus at these games compared to when he was in Torino. Thank goodness. He definitely matured a.k.a. less cocky. This is his second medal at these Games. He was in first place for the Men's Super G, until Norway's Aksel Svindal got past Bode's time by 0.28 of a second. No yard sale here!

Ok, I'm outta here for now. This is my version of a "quick rundown." Day 9 here we come!!