Winter Games: Great start at Sochi
- February 9th, 2014
- Posted by EU Australia
Mother Russia pulled out all stops to make the start of the Winter Olympics on the weekend one of the most memorable.
Local girl Maria Sharapova, 26, ranked No. 3 in world Tennis, usually ranked No. 1 as the Queen of Beauty in the game, carried the torch into the area for the opening ceremony in Sochi, 7.2.14.
Organisers had been busy for a decade with bids and then actual preparation, the total cost being estimated at €50-billion (A$76-billion; xe.com, 9.2.14); most of that for glittering infrastructure capable of making the town a capital of Winter sports for more decades to follow.
Australian team members professed themselves stunned as they entered the stadium (picture), with 40000 in the stands, just after the home team.
What with the excitement and all the bother of finding a precise word, some just dropped it into the “awesome” bucket.
Sixty Australians are on the team, the strongest yet for the Winter event.
A medals table was emerging late on Sunday for the ten sports, much favoured of course in fairly chilly countries.
Norway had got away to an early lead, followed by the United States, Canada, The Netherlands and Austria.
Reference
Sochi.ru.zoly, XXII Olympics,2-23.2.14, Home. http://www.sochi2014.com/en,( 9.2.14).