2006 winter Olympics

 The 20th edition of the winter Olympics were in Torino Italy from February 10-26. 80 nations and 2629 athletes participated in the games.

1. First gold went to Michael Greiss of Germany in the 20k biathlon.

2. Latvia wins first winter medal, a bronze by Martins Rubenis. Armin Zoggler of Italy won the event, giving him a medal in his 4th consecutive games, including back to back gold's.

3. Ted Ligety of the USA wins the combined in a race riddled with disqualifications, such as Bode Miller and Benjamin Raich.

4. Canada had set Olympic records in team pursuit (men's and women's) only to have Netherlands (men) beat that, just to have Italy (men) beat the Dutch.

5. Kristina Smigun wins two of three of Estonia gold's (10k classical and 15k pursuit). Andrus Veerpalu wins the other gold in 15k classical.

6. Canada's Duff Gibson beats Jeff Pain in skeleton, finishing 1-2. Gibson becomes oldest individual gold medalist.

7. Lascelles Brown of Canada becomes first Jamaican born athlete to win a medal when he and Pierre Leuders win silver in two man bobsled.

8. Canada out in quarter finals in hockey, giving them worst ever finish. Sweden won gold. Meanwhile Canada's women's team dominates on way to gold in a tournament that had Sweden upset the USA in the semi final.

9 Giorgio Di Venta wins gold in 50k. At closing ceremonies, sister Manuela is handing out the medals during medal ceremony. How cool is it that sister is putting medal around neck of brother?

10. Two podium sweeps 

A. February 14, women's luge, Germany, Sylke Otto, Silke Kraushaar, Tatjana Hupner.

B. February 25, men's slalom, Austria, Benjamin Raich, Reinfried Herbst, Rainer Schonfelder

11. Germany finishes with most gold's and most overall medals 11g, 12s, 6b 29 total). Host Italy finished with 5g and 6b for 11 total.  Canada finished with 7g, 10s, 7b for 24 total.

Tomorrow, 2010 Vancouver BC