by Nadya Vlassoff
As the athletes of the 2010 Winter Olympics continue their quest for Olympic gold, with a slew of remarkable performances and inspiring Olympic comebacks, here are our picks for the Top 15 Performances of the 2010 Winter Olympics to date.
15. Jon Montgomery - Skeleton
One
of the most dangerous sports at the 2010 Winter
Olympic Games, Canada’s Jon Montgomery was the
bravest and the fastest of them all in a nail-biter
of a finish. Although it looked like Montgomery
would be settling for a silver medal in Skeleton,
Montgomery was the perfect example of how Canada's
"Own the Podium" program worked leading up to
the 2010 Winter Olympics. Only six years prior
to the 2010 Winter Olympics, Montgomery made
the decision to become a Winter Olympian after
learning that Vancouver had won the bid to host
the 2010 Winter Olympics. Talk about speeding
past the competition!
Jon Montgomery did more than just win one of Canada’s five gold medals to date, as Montgomery upset Latvia’s Martins Durkurs who faltered at the end of the track in an event where tenths of a second matter most. With pride on the line for the host nation, Montgomery made an entire nation proud and proved that hard work and determination does pay off even if you haven't spent a lifetime training for the Olympics. Filled with Canadian pride, Montgomery pumped his fists and celebrated Olympic gold with a yell that could be heard all the way across the country in Newfoundland.
14. Mark Tuitert - Men's 1500m Speed Skating
It was supposed to be another gold medal for American speed skater Shani Davis in the Men’s 1500 meter final, but the Netherlands’ Mark Tuitert stepped up to challenge Davis, ultimately upsetting the heavily favored American in an event that many thought Davis would win. Tuitert, who had not won a championship in four long years, looked more like the Mark Tuitert of 2004 when he became the European all-around champion as he stunned the crowd and athletes at the Olympic Oval in Richmond. After learning of his Olympic gold, Tuitert was just as surprised as the crowd in a rewarding moment of celebration and tears. Tuitert and Davis shook hands, each with smiles, but none bigger than Mark’s.
13. Andre Lange (Kevin Kuske) - Two-Man Bobsled
Germany’s
Andre Lange, already one of the most decorated
bobsledders in the sport, set another record
on Sunday, as Lange became the first ever to
win four Olympic gold medals on the Bobsled
track with a win in the Two-Man Bobsled. It
took sixteen years for Andre Lange to win all
of his medals but it was Lange who taught the
world a Winter Olympic lesson in Vancouver in
discipline, endurance, and the Olympic spirit.
Germany’s long history of being an Olympic powerhouse
in winter sliding sports, from the luge to the
bobsled, continued as Lange, perhaps the most
dominant athlete to ever speed down a track
in a bobsled, may be the closest to a sure thing
that the sport has ever produced.
Along with teammate Kevin Kuske, Andre Lange edged out fellow compatriots Thomas Florshuetz and Richard Adjei. Although Lange and Kuske won by the slim margin of .22 seconds, Germany and Lange came down the frozen home stretch in stellar Winter Olympic fashion.
12. Alexandre Bilodeau - Men's Moguls
The stage was set for Canada to win its first Olympic gold medal in over two decades. With Vancouver selected as the third Canadian city to host an Olympic Games after the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and Winter Games in Calgary back in 1988, it was time to put gold around the neck of a Canadian athlete. The only question was who on Canada’s extensive Olympic roster would be the first to claim gold on home turf? Quebec’s Alexandre Bilodeau answered the call as he took gold in stunning fashion in the Men’s Moguls with a brilliant final run. Although Bilodeau didn't finish with the fastest time, it was his precision, heart, and clean skiing that helped the young Canadian claim his first Olympic Gold and finally bring golden Olympic glory to Canada.
11. China vs. Canada - Women’s Curling
There
are very few certainties in Olympics sports
these days (with the exception of Sean White),
especially when powerhouse teams are expected
to crush an over-matched underdog. On Sunday
afternoon certain victory was on the curling
sheet as Canada’s Women’s Curling team took
on China. It was the first time ever that China
had taken to the ice in a curling event at the
Olympics. Earlier in the day, Canada had rocked
(no pun intended) the United States 9-2. It
all changed for Canada, however, when Canadian
skip, Cheryl Bernard, found herself on the downside
of victory in a shocking 6-5 loss to China.
China raced to an early 3-0 lead and never let Canada control the match for the remainder of the ends. As the stunned hometown crowd sat silent, there was little that could be said as China continues to prove their curling worth.
10. Maria Riesch - Ladies' Super Combined
Germany’s Maria Riesch showed what it really means to play through the pain when the German skier took Olympic gold in the Ladies' Super Combined, one of the hardest of the alpine skiing events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was only a day prior when a highly touted Riesch failed to medal in the Women’s Downhill with a disappointing 8th. It was a different story for Riesch last Thursday as Maria dominated from the top and won by almost a full second ahead of American Julie Mancuso who took silver. Although one second may not seem like much, in a sport where medals are won and lost based on hundredths of a second, it was Maria Riesch who threw caution to the wind and backed up her World Cup titles with Olympic Gold.
9. Apollo Anton Ohno - Short Track Speed Skating
It
could have gone either way for American speed
skater, Apollo Anton Ohno, who, only four years
prior at the Winter Olympics in Turin, had become
one of the most decorated Winter Olympians in
history after pocketing five medals. Riding
high on his Olympic victories, Ohno was a media
magnet, attracting major sponsorship deals before
landing a spot on the popular ABC series, Dancing
With the Stars, which Apollo won. It was the
drive for something greater in American Olympic
history, and the talent to match, that brought
Apollo Anton Ohno back to the Olympics. And
what an Olympics Ohno has had.
After taking the bronze medal in a heart-stopping race in the men’s 1000 meter final, Ohno made a frantic push past Canadian brothers, Francouis and Charles Hamelin, to sneak in and cement his place in U.S. Olympic history as the most decorated American ever to compete in the Winter Olympic Games. With a silver and bronze in Vancouver, Ohno now has seven Winter Olympic medals: two gold, two silver and three bronze. With a chance to win a medal in the Men’s 5000 meter relay, Apollo Anton Ohno could surpass his record to prove that's he's even more as much a star on the ice as he is off.
8. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - Pairs Ice Dancing
In one of the most significant moments in Olympic history, Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won the gold medal in the pairs Ice Dancing on Monday evening. It was a beautifully choreographed, near flawless performance that topped the spectacular American pair of Meryl Davis and Charlie White who also skated their best dance of the entire three-day competition. For those unfamiliar with the magnitude of the Virtue and Moir gold medal victory, it's the first time that a North American couple has ever won the gold in Pairs Ice Dancing and only the third time in thirty-four years that a Russian pair hasn't captured gold in pairs Ice Dancing.Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir not only won Canada’s fifth gold medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics as the youngest ever to win Pairs Ice Dancing but Virtue and Moir also broke one of the longest winning streaks in sports history. The Russian pair of Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin came in third despite the fact that they entered Olympic competition as the reigning world champions. As Moir and Virtue were presented their medals, they looked more like giddy teenagers in front of an elated audience at Pacific Coliseum.
7. Shaun White - Men's Halfpipe
The
American snowboarder who single-handedly redefined
the sport of snowboarding all by himself and
an odds on lock for gold, Shaun White returned
to the Winter Olympics to continue his dominance
on the Halfpipe. Despite the weather woes at
Cypress Mountain, White slid into his first
run where he scored top spot among the field.
After the Olympic competition failed to oust
White from the top spot ahead of his second
run, White had a choice on whether or not to
cork or uncork his newest trick. The decision
was simple, as Shaun White showed the world
why he is the best. On his second and final
run, White launched into the Double McTwist
1260, which wowed both fans and the media. With
gold firmly secured, White gave fans what they
wanted, a real show, en route to collecting
his second consecutive gold medal at the Winter
Olympics in the Men’s Halfpipe.
6. Lindsey Vonn - Ladies' Downhill
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn was touted as the next big thing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver leading up to the games. However, only two prior to the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vonn revealed that she was nursing a nagging shin injury. After becoming the most successful American female Alpine Skier, with thirty World Cup wins under her belt, Lindsey Vonn was poised to dominate the Alpine slopes. With the shin injury, however, questions soon arose whether Vonn was fit enough to compete for Olympic gold. In the first Alpine event, the Women’s Downhill, many wondered how the competition would stack up considering that the foggy weather in Whistler wreaked havoc on the usual amount of training runs. That coupled with Vonn’s injury led many to wonder if Vonn was ready to compete, let alone contend for a medal.
1:44.19 was all it took for Lindsey Vonn to silence her critics and live up to expectations. Injured or not, Vonn skied with purpose, taking turns at incredible angles with cuts that were close to 90 degrees. Finishing with a time that was almost a full second ahead of teammate Julie Mancuso, Vonn fell back in elation after crossing the finish line to win Olympic gold. It was the start of an astounding medal haul for Team U.S.A. that has eight Alpine Skiing medals thus far, with Vonn also capturing bronze in the Women’s Super-G.
5. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo - Pairs Free Skating
Pairs
Free Skating is one of the premier events at
the 2010 Winter Olympics and this year was the
same as Olympics past except for one noticeable
omission: the absence of a dominant Russian
pair. For years the Russians showed the world
just how good the level of their figure skating
program was, especially in the Pairs Free Skating
event, but in Vancouver it was all about Shen
Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China. Finally, after
two straight Olympics in which China earned
bronze medals, Xue and husband Zhao came out
of retirement for one last shot at Olympic glory.
Although their routine wasn't perfect, Xue was spectacular in the air, landing a triple salchow that looked more like it belonged on the hills of Ski Jumping than on the ice. When Xue slid down Zhao’s back after a beautiful lift, the entire arena held its collective breath until Zhao finally let Xue’s skates touch the ice. It wasn't the most dominant performance of their illustrious careers, but for Xue and Zhao, Olympic gold is their biggest victory of all.
4. Evan Lysacek - Men's Figure Skating
American Evan Lysacek became the first U.S. male to win Olympic men's gold in over twenty years after Brian Boitano skated to victory in 1988 at Calgary. Ironically, it was also the last time Canada hosted the Winter Olympics. When Evan took to the ice, there was no "required" quad that so many skaters need to execute to reach the podium. Instead, only pure talent and sheer will propelled Lysacek to the top of the field in one of the biggest upsets of the Olympic Games when he beat a hungry Russian Yevgeny Plushenko. After a short program that left Lysacek, Plushenko and Japans’ Daisuke Takahashi in a virtual three-way deadlock, it was Lysacek who was flawless in his free skate. Evan floated across the ice, with great extension on his jumps, as he landed cleanly with confidence. Although Lysacek's choreography was filled with twists and spins, he put every inch of his towering frame to use to beat the returning Olympic champion Plushenko by 1.31 points.
3. Team USA vs. Team Canada - Men's Hockey
It
was the biggest showdown of the Men’s Ice Hockey
Round Robin as Canada took on the United States
in an epic match up. Canada, a heavy favorite
to take home gold, aimed to rebound on the road
to Olympic glory after failing to even make
it into the Winter Olympic medal round in Turin.
Although not infallible in their previous games,
Canada trounced Norway but found themselves
in tough against Switzerland in their second
game before meeting an undefeated U.S. team.
In a shocking upset, the Americans drew first blood by scoring the first goal barely a minute into the opening period. Although the U.S. was outshot 45-23, Team USA held firm on defence, keeping their lines short to avoid the penalty box as best as possible.
Although Sidney Crosby was the hero of the shootout with the Swiss, Sid the Kid was unable to give Canada another win after American goalie, Ryan Miller, stopped everything the Canadians had to offer in the third game. It was Sidney Crosby who crashed the net after Miller made a nearly impossible glove save on a Crosby rebound to keep the Americans in front. However, it was veteran Canadian goalie, Martin Brodeur, who uncharacteristically made two wild errors with the puck that led directly to two U.S. goals.
From there, it was a one-man show as Ryan Miller kept the relentless Canadian attack at bay and Ryan Kesler scored an empty-netter to seal the win at 5-3. The Americans now sit in the quarterfinals while Canada must beat Germany in order to face the Russians in the semi-finals. As for the Americans, it was a welcome victory nearly thirty years after the 1980 Miracle on Ice, as the underdogs got a surprise win with some fantastic shooting and spectacular goal-tending.
2. Aksel Lund Svindal - Men's Super-G
It was just two years ago that Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal thought he might not never walk again let alone ski. After a horrific crash during a training run in Beaver Creek, USA where Aksel Lund Svindal sustained multiple broken bones in his face and several other injuries, including a six-inch laceration to his abdominal and groin area, it appeared Lund Svindal's Olympic dreams were over. Aksel, however, recovered and went back to skiing and it was at Beaver Creek where he won both the downhill and the Super-G less than a year after his injury.
In Whistler, Lund Svindal showed that same determination as he raced not only against the other skiers but for himself in the Super-G, with his father cheering wildly in the stands. Once Lund crossed the finish line, Aksel looked at the scoreboard, saw his time, and celebrated a near miracle finish. Along with his gold in the Super-G, Aksel added a silver in the Men’s Downhill and a Bronze in the Giant Slalom to prove that he's one of the best in the world. Injury or not, there is very little that can keep Aksel Lund Svindal down.
1. Petra Majdic - Ladies' Individual Sprint Classic
It
only took one slip, one big fall, several cracked
ribs, and air in the chest cavity to overcome
Olympic obstacles, but Slovenia’s Petra Majdic
defied the odds and skied away with a bronze
medal in the Ladies' Individual Sprint Classic
in one of the most epic displays of heart we've
ever seen. Prior to the official start of the
race, Majdic was on a practice run when she
slipped off an embankment and fell almost ten
feet to leave many wondering if she could even
get up.
In a lesser profile sport that requires pacing and technique, Majdic declined painkiller injections that would have slowed her down. Petra fought every stride in the four rounds of 1.4 kilometers as she outpaced a packed field. Majdic showed true poise when it counted and didn't give up on her Olympic dream as she won Slovenia’s first medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was a gritty performance, fully deserving of her place in Olympic history.
[Photo Credits: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images, Chris Helgren/Retuers, Yuri Kadobnov/Getty Images, Martin Bureau/Getty Images, NBC Olympics.com]
