Vancouver Games Draw to a Close

 

by James Skitt - 01.03.10

Gold medal winner Amy Williams was the proud flag bearer for Team GB as the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games drew to a close on Sunday in a ceremony which also say fellow skeleton slider Adam Pengilly officially introduced as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes Commission.

Williams claimed Britain’s only medal at the Games in the skeleton whilst Pengilly, who also competed at the Games, was officially elected by his peers alongside US Ice Hockey player Angela Marie Ruggiero, as a new member of the IOC Athletes Commission for an eight year term.

IOC President Jacques Rogge thanked Canada for “16 unforgettable days of unique and joyous celebration of Olympism,” and praised the organising committee for “excellent and very friendly Games,” before declaring the XXI Olympic Winter Games closed.

The Games, which featured 2500 athletes from 82 competing nations, had begun with the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who was killed when his sled flipped and he hit a steel pole during a training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre track.

Rogge admitted the death of Kumaritashvili had hit him hard, but praised the efforts of the Games organisers.

"It is clear that the death cannot leave you indifferent," he said. "It hit me very strongly from a personal point of view. I didn't sleep for two consecutive nights. I'm sure no-one will forget (the death), but you have to be fair to Canadians, to the athletes and the organisers and to judge the Games on their own merit without forgetting what happened before.”

"The Games began with teething pains but I commend VANOC (Vancouver Organising Committee) for rapidly correcting that and from then on things went extremely well.”

Hosts Canada topped the medal table with 14 golds, 7 silvers and 5 bronze medals, while the United States won the most medals with 37 overall. 52 athletes represented Team GB across 6 sports and 11 disciplines, whilst the English Institute of Sport (EIS) provided a range of sport science and sport medicine services to a number of British winter athletes across snowsports, skeleton, bobsleigh, curling speed skating and luge.

Prior to the Games UK Sport had set a target of 3 medals, but UK Sport Chief Executive John Steele says he believes the results show the level of funding for winter sports is both ‘right and proportionate’.

Steele commented: “The abiding memory for me of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was the gold medal won by Amy Williams. It was an incredible achievement by an outstanding British athlete and will go down in history as one of the most memorable moments for British Winter Sport. Whilst missing the medal target is disappointing, I believe that the results in Vancouver have shown that the level of our funding in the winter sports is both right and proportionate in terms of opportunity and outcome.”

“Our experience as lead agency for strategic investment in Olympic sport tells us that it is not just about the money - but where and in who you invest it. We have always been true to our ‘no compromise’ principle in investing only in athletes and sports who we believe have a genuine opportunity of winning medals. The fantastic performances by the members of the British Bob Skeleton team shows this strategy does work and medals can be won if the right programmes and athletes are in place to benefit from our support and investment.”

“As is normal, we will now conduct our investment review. The margins between success and failure at the top of Olympic sport can be very small and while success at the Games is a vital component it is not the only consideration when making funding decisions.”

Photography © Getty Images