Feb. 13 -- As competition at the Vancouver Winter Olympics begins today with athletes vying for medals in five events, organizers remain focused on a luger who never got the chance to compete in these Games.
The opening ceremony last night was dedicated to Nodar Kumaritashvili, a luger from the country of Georgia who died in a high-speed crash on a training run.
“With Nodar Kumaritashvili in our hearts, I commit that the men and women of Vancouver 2010 are ready to deliver the performance of a lifetime,” said John Furlong, the head of the Vancouver Olympics committee, in his speech to more than 60,000 people at B.C. Place stadium.
Kumaritashvili, 21, died in a crash yesterday during the final training run for the men’s singles event in Whistler, British Columbia. He was thrown off his sled and collided with an unpadded metal support pole outside the track.
Flags were lowered to half-staff around Vancouver in honor of Kumaritashvili, and International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge paid tribute to the luger in his speech. The crowd at the opening ceremony gave members of the Georgian Olympic team a standing ovation when they entered the stadium wearing black armbands.
“I’m really upset,” said Michael Sagaysay, 17, a Vancouver high-school student. “I think all of Canada will be a little depressed.”
The opening ceremony last night was dedicated to Nodar Kumaritashvili, a luger from the country of Georgia who died in a high-speed crash on a training run.“With Nodar Kumaritashvili in our hearts, I commit that the men and women of Vancouver 2010 are ready to deliver the performance of a lifetime,” said John Furlong, the head of the Vancouver Olympics committee, in his speech to more than 60,000 people at B.C. Place stadium.
Kumaritashvili, 21, died in a crash yesterday during the final training run for the men’s singles event in Whistler, British Columbia. He was thrown off his sled and collided with an unpadded metal support pole outside the track.
Flags were lowered to half-staff around Vancouver in honor of Kumaritashvili, and International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge paid tribute to the luger in his speech. The crowd at the opening ceremony gave members of the Georgian Olympic team a standing ovation when they entered the stadium wearing black armbands.
“I’m really upset,” said Michael Sagaysay, 17, a Vancouver high-school student. “I think all of Canada will be a little depressed.”
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