2010 Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympic Games has inspired many athletes to be the best they can possibly be. This is the ultimate goal for them, to stand on that podium and tell the world they are the best.

The Winter Olympic Games started in 1924 after people realized there was no way to keep the ice rink from melting in the middle of summer. The First Winter Games were held inChamonix, France, with 258 Olympians from sixteen countries competing in sixteen events.

The upcoming Winter Olympic Games of 2010 will be held in Vancouver, Canada. Starting February 12 and ending on February 28, approximately 2,500 athletes will compete in fifteen sports to over eighty-six separate events.

Many people are wondering if the Americans will come out victorious and in which events. The predictions say that some sports will shine more in Americas’ eye. In speed skating, four medals, including two golds are predicted to be taken home by Shani Davis, Trevor Marsicano, along with Chad Hedrick and Tucker Fredricks. Apolo Anton Ohno is America’s main short-track skater. He is predicted winning two medals during the Winter Olympics. Snowboarding is one ofAmerica’s favorite Winter Olympic sports. For boardercross, Seth Wescott and Lindsey Jacobellis are expected to bring home one gold. Shawn White, along with women Hannah Teter and Gretchen Bleiler, are expected to bring home four medals, two of which being golds. Alpine skiing is the last event where America is forecasted to bring home more that two medals. Lindsey Vonn is a major contender in this year’s alpine skiing event. She is predicted to take home two medals and two golds.

Americans have somewhat dominated the Winter Olympics. Shawn White and Apolo Ohno are two of America’s top winning Olympians. Shawn White, a snowboarder, has won fifteen gold medals and has had countless endorsement deals. Apolo Ohno is a speed skater winning five medals since his first Olympics.

The IOC, International; Olympics Committee, selects a host city seven years in advance, with the selection process taking two years. The first stage in the process is open to any city in the world with the submission of a lengthy application to become the host city. After ten months, the Executive Board on IOC decides which of these cities will become candidate cities. This is based off of the recommendations of the working group that reviews the application. In the second stage, the Evaluation Commission thoroughly investigates the cities. They then submit a short final list of the cities to be chosen from. Finally, the IOC chooses a host city at a general meeting of IOC members.

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