Official Other Olympics Thread

[jstewismybastardson]

great photo

 

[dash]

Pretty good skate for Morrison (currently in 2nd place).

 

[SFNL]

Watching the Nordic Combined... Crazy how the only snow there is man-made. We have more snow in Pittsburgh than they do there.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

That's awesome!!

 

[jstewismybastardson]

wow

Speed skating shock here. Shani Davis, in effort for third straight gold medal, is in seventh. And will likely drop from there.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

is that right ... only 2 more skaters to go???

 

[dash]

Silver for Morrison - woot!! - How about Gil Junio stepping aside for Morrison?

 

[BlueWolfZero]

Well a very surprising silver medal for Denny Morrison. Shani Davis shut out

 

[jstewismybastardson]

wow ... good for him ... in 2009 my wife and I went to a Own the Podium fundraiser and my wife donated $150 to "own an athlete" ... you got a autograph photo and ... alledgedly ... the $150 went directly to the athlete ... she picked Denny Morrison cause he was from BC

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Silver for Morrison - woot!! - How about Gil Junio stepping aside for Morrison?

great story

SOCHI, RUSSIA—We call it the Canadian Olympic team, but in so many pursuits at these Games, the athletes are in the hunt on their own, lone wolves in a dog-eat-dog fight.

So when speed skater Gilmore Junio made the choice to withdraw from Wednesday’s 1,000 metres, effectively gifting his place in the race to fellow Canadian Denny Morrison, it amounted to a rare enough moment of selflessness.

“It is an individual sport. And sometimes you’re kind of looking out for No. 1,” Junio said. “But for me it was a no-brainer for Denny to be in this distance.”

No-brainer might have overstated it, actually. Junio acknowledged that giving up his place on the start list wasn’t an easy decision and that the Canadian coaching staff had made the suggestion he consider it.

Certainly the personnel swap made sense. The 1,000 metres isn’t Junio’s specialty. And Morrison — a two-time world championship silver medallist in the event — will offer a better chance of earning a medal for Canada.

As Junio said: “As a country, we want to win.”

But Junio, on the other hand, did qualify for one of Canada’s four spots in the event fair and square. As a 23-year-old Olympic rookie, he could have no doubt benefitted from the experience of stepping to the start line. His only other event at these Games is already completed; he finished 10th in the 500m.

And what’s more his parents, Gino and Julie and his two older siblings, sister Marjorie and brother Gerry, had flown here to see him skate. Thankfully they’d seen him in the 500m; they had tickets to the 1,000m, too.

“My dad was a little like, ‘Why did it have to be you to give up the spot?’ But my parents were understanding,” Junio said. “They kind of tease me about how the last half of my 1,000 isn’t the greatest, and I die a lot compared to a lot of the other guys. But my parents raised me to be a team player and I think they’re going to be proud of the fact I’m doing this.”

Why did it have to come to this? Back in December at the Olympic trials, Morrison was 50 metres away from qualifying for the Games when he clipped a skate and fell. He was granted a same-day re-skate, but with his depleted energy stores he couldn’t produce a top-four time.

“Denny probably would have beat me in that race had he not fallen,” said Junio, who finished third in those trials.

A certain kind of observer — say, a sports agent representing Junio — might say: Tough luck. Morrison did fall. Them’s the breaks. What’s Junio’s is Junio’s.

But Junio looked beyond that line of thinking. Perhaps it’s because he’s been lent a helping hand more than once in his athletic career. A little more than four years ago, he wasn’t even a long-track speed skater. He was a short-tracker lying on the ice in pain having broken two vertebrae in a crash. As he was stretchered off the sheet that day, he vowed to a coach that he’d be back compete. But he didn’t realistically think he’d be in Sochi this week after changing disciplines. Junio said he owes much of his success to the mentorship of his long-track teammates.

“What everyone sees are the individual parts of the sport, there’s a huge team dynamic,” Junio said. “We train together (in Calgary) all year. I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in without guys like Jamie Gregg and Denny Morrison, who really helped me develop as a skater. The amount that Denny has helped me from 2010 to now is incredible.”

Consider the favour returned.

“This is an amazing gesture,” Morrison, who qualified in the 1,500, said in a statement. “And I’m ready to make the most of this opportunity.”

As much as Junio sounded like he was enjoying a momentary burst of positive attention for his team-first act, he’s hoping it’s a one-time deal.

Said Junio: “Walking home today after watching the ladies’ 500 metres, I was already thinking about how I can improve my 500 and my 1,000 so that, come 2018, I’m not put in this position again.”

 

[pixburgher66]

Shani Davis not medaling...and so continues the most disappointing Olympics in recent US history.

 

[BlueWolfZero]

Shani Davis not medaling...and so continues the most disappointing Olympics in recent US history.

That and Mancuso didn't medal in the downhill either. USA having a brutal olympics so far by their standards. Got the potential to sweep the women's halfpipe tonight though

 

[Dacks]

Awesome silver for Denny! I thought he was a top 10 type of skater, didn't think he was really in contention. Just a great story all around, Junio's sacrifice paid off.

I think it's also Canada's first 'surprise' medal... need a few of those as we've missed out on some of the expected ones.

The men's luge team is also in contention... Hopefully not another fourth, that would be devastating for the luge team.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

fear not Murica, now you can wear your disappointment with the new team usa olympic sweater ... only $199 and available in XXXL

 

[dash]

I'm actually pullling for Russia in men's doubles luge, I want to see the look on Putin's face of two Russian men (one lying on top of the other) winning gold.

 

[BlueWolfZero]

Awesome silver for Denny! I thought he was a top 10 type of skater, didn't think he was really in contention. Just a great story all around, Junio's sacrifice paid off.

I think it's also Canada's first 'surprise' medal... need a few of those as we've missed out on some of the expected ones.

The men's luge team is also in contention... Hopefully not another fourth, that would be devastating for the luge team.

By my count, three medals we were supposed to win have not panned out (Alex Gough, Max Parrot, Spencer O'Brien) The second Dufour-Lapointe sister and Morrison were ones we weren't expected to get

 

[BlueWolfZero]

Canada has a great snowboarding program, except for the half pipe...wonder why that is

 

[jstewismybastardson]

cdn athletes at sochi seem to be endorsing this one

#gilmorejunioforclosingceremonyflagbearer

 

[dash]

cdn athletes at sochi seem to be endorsing this one

#gilmorejunioforclosingceremonyflagbearer

I could get on board with that - That kid has an infectious smile.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Johnny Weir has made the medal count irrelevant as he is our country's champion. I need not clarify further.