Canada vs. United States. Who Was More Impressive?
Michael Hurst
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: Sports
The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada have officially ended, but the debate is just beginning. Who accomplished the more impressive feat at these Olympics? Was it the host nation, Canada? Or was it Canada's neighbor, the United States?
For Canada, one gold medal was an improvement. But to win 14 gold medals and set the record for most gold medals ever won by any nation in any Winter Olympics, wow! In the previous two Olympics hosted by Canada, they had won a grand total of zero gold medals. Yes, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, host nation Canada failed to win any gold medals. 2010 in Vancouver was quite a different story.
On day three of the Vancouver Games, Alexandre Bilodeau became the first Canadian ever to win a gold medal on home soil. Bilodeau finished first in the men's moguls skiing final and he seemed to know that his victory was just the start of good things for Canada.
"It's just the beginning, I think," Bilodeau said. "There are so many other Canadians coming up in other sports. … I'll be in the stands cheering for them. I don't think I really realize it. It's too good to be true."
Gold medal number one was huge, but number 14 was perhaps even bigger for Canadians. Hockey is Canada's sport. If they could win gold in men's hockey on their own turf, there could be nothing better. Unless of course, that gold medal game happened to be against the U.S. It was. When Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime, Canada exploded. With 80 percent of Canadians having seen at least part of the game, there could have been no better way for these Olympics to end for Canada.
Although the U.S. hockey team did not win gold, the U.S. Olympic Team did finish atop the Winter Olympic overall medal count for the first time in 78 years. That was not all though. By winning a total of 37 medals, including nine gold medals, Team U.S.A. set the record for most medals ever won by a nation at any Winter Games. With great athletes such as Apolo Ohno and Shaun White, the U.S. was able to secure its place in history. But which country's performance was more impressive.
For Canada, one gold medal was an improvement. But to win 14 gold medals and set the record for most gold medals ever won by any nation in any Winter Olympics, wow! In the previous two Olympics hosted by Canada, they had won a grand total of zero gold medals. Yes, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, host nation Canada failed to win any gold medals. 2010 in Vancouver was quite a different story.
On day three of the Vancouver Games, Alexandre Bilodeau became the first Canadian ever to win a gold medal on home soil. Bilodeau finished first in the men's moguls skiing final and he seemed to know that his victory was just the start of good things for Canada.
"It's just the beginning, I think," Bilodeau said. "There are so many other Canadians coming up in other sports. … I'll be in the stands cheering for them. I don't think I really realize it. It's too good to be true."
Gold medal number one was huge, but number 14 was perhaps even bigger for Canadians. Hockey is Canada's sport. If they could win gold in men's hockey on their own turf, there could be nothing better. Unless of course, that gold medal game happened to be against the U.S. It was. When Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime, Canada exploded. With 80 percent of Canadians having seen at least part of the game, there could have been no better way for these Olympics to end for Canada.
Although the U.S. hockey team did not win gold, the U.S. Olympic Team did finish atop the Winter Olympic overall medal count for the first time in 78 years. That was not all though. By winning a total of 37 medals, including nine gold medals, Team U.S.A. set the record for most medals ever won by a nation at any Winter Games. With great athletes such as Apolo Ohno and Shaun White, the U.S. was able to secure its place in history. But which country's performance was more impressive.
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