2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games

The skies above Vancouver go red as the fireworks explode in the evening sky, marking an official end to the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, but also highlighting the history made in Canada.

Over the span of the Games, the Canadians faced many challenges, saw many firsts and won many golds.

Canada's total gold medal count stands at 14, marking Canada's highest gold medal win in Olympic history.

The Canadians gold-rush roll began with men's moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau winning Canada its first ever gold medal on Canadian soil.

From there, history just began writing itself.

The women's hockey team became the first women's hockey team to win gold at home, the men's hockey team because the first to do so in 30 years- both genders' hockey finals rankings are Canada first, USA second and Finland third. .

Canadian pair figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became the first North Americans ever to win gold in ice dancing.

Figure skater Joannie Rochette overcame the challenges of loosing a loved one, as she courageously skated her way to Olympic bronze — the sudden death of her mother only adding fuel to her fire.

And the citizens themselves.

The Canadians came together in a sudden burst of pride and prosperity. "You did not just cheer," said VANOC CEO John Furlong in his Closing Ceremony speech to the Canadians. "Rather, you lived every glorious moment as if you yourselves were competing for gold."

The Ceremony also featured the historic Olympic flag handover to the next city to host the Winter Games, this time with Sochi, Russia playing protegé to the Winter Games in Vancouver.

Thank You And Merci Vancouver!

After 16 days of fantastic sporting competition on the Olympic venues of Vancouver, Richmond, and Whistler, the curtain has now fallen on the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver 2010.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge declared the XXI Olympic Winter Games "excellent and very friendly" on Sunday as the 2010 Vancouver Games came to a close after 16 days of inspiring athletic achievement and high-spirited celebration.

The Closing Ceremony at Vancouver's BC Place ended with the traditional handover of the Olympic flag from Vancouver to Sochi, Russia, the 2014 host. But the glow from the 2010 Games is sure to linger in Canada long after the international spotlight shifts elsewhere.

More than 2,500 athletes from a record 82 National Olympic Committees competed on the snow and ice in Vancouver and Whistler.

In the host nation, the Games created a sense of national identity and pride that was impossible to miss in the spectator stands and on the streets. Some predicted that the Games would forever change the way Canadians think about themselves and their nation.

"There has been euphoria here, a change. Something has happened, not just in Vancouver but all over the country," John Furlong, the CEO of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC), said. "I think the country has taken a different position around these Games. They have not been spectators, they have lived every moment with us. I think that is something we can be proud of."

The spirit of global solidarity was evident in the worldwide reaction to the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luge competitor who died in a training accident just before the Games. Rogge said everyone involved in the Games would carry the memory of Kumaritashvili with them.

"We have shared the grief of an Olympic dream cut short," Rogge said. "We have shared the joy of dreams fulfilled. We have been moved by tears of elation and tears of disappointment. We witnessed extraordinary acts of courage and exceptional determination by athletes who refused to give up."

The IOC President thanked the people of Canada for their hospitality and praised the athletes.

"You have made us proud. You are worthy role models. You have reminded us again that people from very different backgrounds can compete in a spirit of respect, friendship and fair play," he said. "May we all take that spirit home with us."

 

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games

With the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games now over, the winter sports world is turning its attention to Sochi 2014.

After a fantastic Closing Ceremony at BC Place, where the Olympic flag was handed from Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov, the future hosts from Russia will now return with the flag to the Black Sea resort that will host the world in just four years' time.

As with all future host cities, Sochi presented a short eight-minute show during the Closing Ceremony. Living up to Sochi's tagline of Gateway to the Future, the segment showcased Russia's rich cultural heritage, as well as the new modern face of the country.

The Sochi 2014 Games project sees the Olympic winter sports venues split into two clusters: one coastal cluster in the Imeretinskaya Valley, which will play host to all of the ice events, the Olympic Stadium and a number of brand new hotels; and a mountain cluster in the region of Krasnaya Polyana, which will play host to the other Olympic sports at the Winter Games. The Games will offer Sochi and Russia the chance to create a world-class sporting and tourism destination that will leave a lasting legacy to the region and beyond.