Well done Great Britain. Just one gold and one silver medal (both in curling, I'm afraid), but a Winter Olympics played in the spirit of Eddie Edwards. It has to be said; the UK is not really a Winter Sports country.
My favourite bit had to be the downhill snowboard cross. Those acrobatics mid-air were quite amazing. How they landed the right way up is a miracle. True courage on behalf of those athletes.
As I was taught at school (and is particularly pertinent for the GB team) 'it matters not to win or lose; but how one plays the game'.
I would have loved to do big Ski Jumping, but seeing as I have never even stood-up on skis, I would hardly have stood a chance.
Well done all.
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Kudos to all those who tried, learned and participated. My idea of winter sport is seeing how fast I can get from my bed to the heater, lay down my clothes for warming, then sprint back into bed before I get cold.
I don't wish to sound sexist and ageist, but seeing those 17 year old girls hurling themselves into the air, doing summersaults, was really quite amazing.
I'm not a cold weather person either!
I think Australia may have done better.
Everyone did better!
It isn't organised on an equal footing. All ski runs and courses should be a mixture of sheet ice, wet heather, gravel and boulders with the occasional patch of grey slushy snow. Events must be run in fog, driving rain and gale force winds. We'd do fine then.
Loved it all ! We do well in other sports …. can’t be good at everything ! We’ve always enjoyed watching the curling …. as Steve Cram said “ If anyone else comes up to me and says curling is boring I’ll tell them to watch the women’s semi finals” !!!!! I love the bobsleigh and skeleton etc …… we used to be good at that ! XXXX
Or just hold the games in Cock-a-leekie; that famous Scottish town known for its Pea-Souper's.
I like the Speed Skating for its aesthetic value, but Curling; no. It reminds me of Crown Green Bowls.
I have hardly watched any of the Winter Olympics - I think one has to be involved - I have never been on skis and I suppose that would make a differene to how keen I was to watch it. I love the Summer edition.
We have watched the Olympics now again when there was nothing else on the telly. All impressive of course. Greece sent a team but we've heard nothing about them at all. If it's not football or they don't win a good medal it's not news.
The Summer Olympics are another kettle of fish. I'm afraid that if one isn't a skier, there's not a lot of interest in the Winter version.
Much like GB. Even with a gold in Curling, people aren't that interested.
You are very dismissive of some great GB competitors in these Winter Olympics. I have enjoyed watching every night and whoever was winning medals made no difference to me, that snowboarding, for instance, was amazing and the competitors were so young.
We have watched every day.
Just watched the ice gala and it looks like all the skaters were enjoying themselves for real!
Read it again; I wasn't in the slightest bit 'dismissive'; in fact I was the opposite. I was congratulating them regardless of not winning medals.
The competitors all seem very friendly with each other.
Medals for curling? I wonder if you can also win them for straightening or permanent waves... I am just being silly - I stayed up to watch the women's curling final. The lasses done good.
I paid attention to your two replies above my comment (8.00 and 8.01) more than I should have done perhaps. I know many people who like me watched the games everynight and took an interest. That was where I was coming from. I also dislike Eddie the Eagle so was put off your post with a mention of his name. He did no good for British competitors in Winter Olympics in my opinion.
Congratulations to UK for winning gold and silver. I watched the skiing, snowboarding and skating with great interest. All the athletes work very hard to perfect their skills and it shows in their performances. The camaraderie among all athletes is nice to see as well.
They must have, their palms have been crossed with gold.
I preferred all the events where people flew through the air. All very spectacular.
I have to disagree with you. I think Eddie E displayed a real determination to succeed. The fact that he didn't; didn't lessen his effort. I think he was seen as a 'slightly comical' hero.
I know. You have spoken of your admiration of him before.
I really was amazed by some of those aerial stunts. I would lose track of up and down, somersaulting through the air at that speed.
I enjoy the Winter Olympics ben more than the Summer Games - the medal counts seem to be spread out a bit more amongst many countries and the fitness level of the cross country skiers, biathlon athletes and long track skaters always astonishes me.
The acrobatics of those young snowboarders and specialty skiers is amazing - if I was a parent of one of those competitors I don't think I could watch!
And of course, being Canadian, hockey is practically a religion here (although I have been known to get up at 3am to watch curling). Well done all!
Snowboarders, the half pipe, some of them took my breath away with the height they reach. Courage, talent, and practice. Bravo All!
And some of the girls were SO YOUNG. Does that make me seem old?
I'd forgotten about the Hockey. It does seem quite violent; and I was a Rugby player!
Yes, they were amazing.
Frozen end parts. One up on Ben Fogle's frozen nose.
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