PHOTOS: 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver
Inflatable figures of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers are guided by performers dressed as Mounties, providing a singularly Canadian image to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Singer Michael Buble commands the spotlight at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Neil Young performs at the base of the Olympic flame at BC Place during Sunday night’s closing ceremony in Vancouver. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A parade of performers and figures at the closing ceremony Sunday night evokes the Canadian experience. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Performers portraying French Canadian voyageurs and dancing maple leaves join outsized replicas of beavers at the closing ceremony at BC Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
As Neil Young performs “Long May You Run” at the closing ceremony at BC Place, his image is projected on a huge screen. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
More colorful sights at the closing ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics on Sunday night at BC Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sidney Crosby is mobbed by teammates after he scored the winning goal in overtime Sunday in Canada’s 3-2 victory over the U.S. in the men’s hockey final at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Canada thus earned the gold medal and the U.S. took the silver. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Fans at Canada Hockey Place exult after Sidney Crosby’s shot beats U.S. goaltender Ryan Miller in overtime, securing the gold medal for Canada on Sunday. The Americans’ silver, meanwhile, was the 37th medal won by the U.S. at these Games, the most by any country at any Winter Olympics. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The U.S. team wears its silver medals after falling to Canada, 3-2, on Sunday in the Vancouver Winter Olympics. The U.S. won the medals race for the first time since 1932. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The U.S.-1 team piloted by Steven Holcomb makes a turn during a four-man bobsled heat. The team, which also includes Steve Mesler, Curtis Tomasevicz and Justin Olsen, went on to win the gold medal. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The members of the gold-winning U.S. four-man bobsled team celebrate their triumph: from left, Steven Holcomb, Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curtis Tomasevicz. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Italy’s Giuliano Razzoli rounds a gate on his way to winning the gold medal in the men’s slalom. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Team USA long-track speedskaters (from left) Brian Hansen, Chad Hedrick and Jonathan Kuck go all out with two laps left in the gold-medal race in men’s team pursuit against Canada on Saturday at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The Canadians would take the gold by a split second. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Team USA’s Jilleanne Rookard yells for teammate Jen Rodriguez to hurry to the finish line at the end of a women’s long-track speedskating team pursuit semifinal race against Poland on Saturday at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Rodriguez couldn’t keep up with the group on the last lap, costing the team a trip to the finals. The Americans later lost in the bronze-medal race. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Canada’s Charles Hamelin embraces Marianne St. Gelais after he won the gold medal in the short-track speedskating 500-meter event. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The United States’ bronze-winning team takes a victory lap after the short-track 5,000-meter relay. Apolo Anton Ohno, center, is surrounded by J.R. Celski, left, Travis Jayner and Jordan Malone. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, right, battles Korea’s Kwak Yoon-gy at the finish of the short-track 5,000-meter relay. Korea won the silver medal, and the U.S. took the bronze. The gold medal went to Canada. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Katherine Reutter of the U.S. celebrates her silver medal in the short-track speedskating 1,000-meter contest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
China’s Wang Meng, right, reacts after winning the gold medal in the women’s short-track speedskating 1,000-meter competition. Katherine Reutter, center, of the United States won the silver medal, and Park Seung-hi of Korea, behind them, won the bronze. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Apolo Ohno of the United States appears surprised as he crosses the finish line in the men’s 500-meter short track speedskating finals at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. Ohno was disqualified for pushing Canadian Francois-Louis Tremblay, who was awarded a medal. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Apolo Ohno skates into mayhem on the last turn of the men’s 500-meter short track speedskating final at Pacific Coliseum. Ohno crossed the finish line second, but was disqualified for pushing Canada’s Francois-Louis Tremblay, causing him to slide into the wall. Korean skater Sung Si-Bak was leading, but tripped on his own. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Germany’s Maria Riesch sends gates flying as she storms her way down the women’s slalom run on Friday. She claimed her second gold medal of the Winter Olympics with a victory. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
American Sarah Schleper, who would finish in 16th place overall, rounds a gate in the women’s slalom on Friday at Whistler. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Pilot Mike Kohn and his U.S. teammates break from the start line during their first run in the four-man bobsled competition on Friday at Whistler Sliding Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
USA-1, led by pilot Steven Holcomb, starts its second run Friday in the four-man bobsled competition at Whistler Sliding Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. forward Paul Stastny celebrates after scoring the team’s sixth goal in the first period against Finland and defenseman Kimmo Timonen during a men’s hockey tournament semifinal on Friday at Canada Hockey Place. The Americans advanced to the gold-medal game with a 6-1 victory. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
American forward
Team USA defenseman Dustin Brown and
American hockey fan Todd Johns of
Korean Kim Yuna and her coach react to her score after the free skating competition, which gave her the gold medal. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Korean figure skater Kim Yuna performs during her free skating routine en route to winning the gold medal. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Belarusian Alexei Grishin performs a gold-medal-winning jump during the men’s aerials competition. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Jeret Peterson of the U.S. reacts after a jump that earned him the silver medal in the men’s aerials. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Canadian women’s hockey players celebrate their 2-0 victory over the United States to capture the gold medal. (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)
Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados blocks a shot during the gold medal women’s hockey game. Szabados shut out the U.S., and Canada won, 2-0. (Julie Jacobson / Associated Press)
Shona Rubens of Canada competes during the second run of the women’s giant slalom at Whistler Creekside. (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
Austria’s Mario Stecher competes in the Nordic combined men’s ski jumping individual Whistler Olympic Park. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)
France’s Sebastian Lacroix competes in the Nordic combined men’s ski jumping individual LH at Whistler Olympic Park. (Franck Fife / AFP/Getty Images)
Bill Demong of the United States powers to the finish in the men’s Nordic combined cross-country at Whistler Olympic Park. (Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images)
Julia Mancuso of the United States reacts in the finish area during the women’s giant slalom race of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. (Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images)
Norway’s gold medalists, from left, Vibeke W. Skofterud, Therese Johaug, Kristin Stoemer Steira and Marit Bjoergen stand on the podium after the women’s cross-country skiing 4x5 km relay at Whistler Olympic Park during the
Gold medalist Bill Demong of the United States, center, fellow American and silver medalist Johnny Spillane, left, and Austria’s bronze medalist Bernhard Gruber share the podium after the men’s Nordic combined cross-country at Whistler Olympic Park. (Franck Fife / AFP/Getty Images)
Skip Kevin Martin of Canada releases the stone during the men’s curling semifinal game between Canada and Sweden at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver Olympic Centre. (Jasper Juinen / Getty Images)
Sweden’s Cathrine Lindahl releases a stone during the women’s curling semifinal match against China at the Vancouver Olympic Centre. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
Skip Cheryl Bernard of Canada follows the stone during the women’s curling semifinal game against Canada at Vancouver Olympic Centre.
For the record: It was previously incorrectly indicated in this caption that Skip Cheryl Bernard was from Switzerland. (Jasper Juinen / Getty Images)
Sweden’s Eva Lund , left, celebrates with teammates Cathrine Lindahl, center, and Anna Lew Moine after their 9-4 victory over China in the women’s curling semifinal match at the Vancouver Olympic Centre. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
Tessa Bonhomme of Canada, left, and Erika Lawler of the United States battle for the puck during the women’s ice hockey gold medal game in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Finland’s team celebrates its 3-2 victory over Sweden in the women’s bronze medal hockey game at the Canada Hockey Place during the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. (Luis Acosta / AFP/Getty Images)
U.S.A.’s Erin Pac, left, and Elana Meyers celebrate their bronze-medal win in the bobsleigh at the Vancouver Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Kim Min-Jung of Korea leads Linlin Sun of China and Tania Vincent of Canada a few laps before the finish line in the ladies’ short track speed skating 3000-meter relay at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. speed skater Jordan Malone slips on the final turn of a 500-meter short track speed skating qualifying heat in Pacific Coliseum. Korea’s Yoon-Gy Kwak, front, won the heat, and Belgian’s Pieter Gysel, back, took third place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Skaters line up to push each other midway through the ladies’ short track speed skating 3000-meter relay at Pacific Coliseum. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sarah Schleper of the United States rounds a gate during the first run of the women’s giant slalom at Whistler in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Julia Mancuso of the United States competes in the first run of the women’s giant slalom at Whistler in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lindsey Von of the United States crashes into a fence during the first run of the women’s giant slalom at Whistler in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lindsey Von tries to get untangeled after crashing into a fence during the first run of the women’s giant slalom. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lindsey Von gets aid after crashing into a fence during the first run of the women’s giant slalom at Whistler in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
A video display announces a weather delay because of fog of the second run of the women’s giant slalom in Whistler, British Columbia. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
All eyes are glued to the Jumbotron as players and fans look to see whether a last-second goal for team USA crossed the line before the clock hit zeroes. The clock won, leaving it scoreless after two periods in a quarterfinal playoff game against Switzerland at Canada Hockey Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Forward Dustin Brown of the U.S. team gets his stick caught in the netting as he battles Swiss defenseman Rafael Diaz for the puck in the second period of a quarterfinal playoff game at Canada Hockey Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Forward Bobby Ryan of the U.S. team is flipped by a check from Switzerland’s Mathias Seger in a quarterfinal playoff game at Canada Hockey Place in the Vancouver Olympics. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Swiss defenseman Luca Sbisa lays out to block the shot of USA forward
USA goalie Ryan Miller strains to turn away a point-blank shot by Swiss forward Sandy Jeannin in the third period of a quarterfinal playoff game at Canada Hockey Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Paul Sastny and Zach Parise, left, celebrate a third-period goal as the U.S. defeats Switzerland, 2-0, in a quarterfinal playoff game at Canada Hockey Place. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Canada’s Clara Hughes competes in the women’s 5,000-meter speedskating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval near Vancouver. (Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP/Getty Images)
Norway’s Maren Haugli competes in the women’s 5,000-meter speedskating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval near Vancouver. (Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP/Getty Images)
Japan’s Shiho Ishizawa competes in the women’s 5,000-meter speedskating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval near Vancouver. (Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP/Getty Images)
Jilleanne Rookard of the United States on the ice during the women’s 5,000-meter speedskating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval near Vancouver. (Jasper Juinen / Getty Images)
The USA-3 four-man bobsled piloted by Mike Kohn, front, during an official training session at the Whistler sliding center during the
Canada’s Joannie Rochette receives a hug after she leaves the ice following her short program during the women’s figure skating competitionon Tuesday night at the Pacific Coliseum. Rochette is in third place entering Thursday’s free skate program. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Canada’s Joannie Rochette, whose mother died of a heart attack last week, fights back tears after finishing her short program during the women’s figure skating competition Tuesday night at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Racheal Flatt of the U.S. completes a spin as she performs her short program during the women’s figure skating event Tuesday night at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. She was in fifth place entering Thursday night’s free skate portion of the competition. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Jenna McCorkell buries her face in her hands after a disappointing short program performance during the women’s figure skating at Pacific Coliseum. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Yan Liu of China performs in the women’s short program at Pacific Coliseum. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ice skaters, ages 10 to 12, wait to retrieve the gifts thrown to the ice after performances at the women’s figure skating competition at Pacific Coliseum. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu performs in the Olympic women’s short program competition in Vancouver, Canada. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Johnny Spillane helps the U.S. to a silver medal in the team Nordic combined event Tuesday in the Vancouver Winter Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Todd Lodwick of the U.S. leads Germany’s Tino Edelmann in the team Nordic combined on Tuesday, when the U.S. won its first medal in the event. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Mario Stecher clinches the gold medal for Austria in the team Nordic combined Tuesday, leading Bill Demong of the U.S., which finished second. Germany won the bronze. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Austrian Mario Stecher celebrates his team’s gold medal-winning finish in the team Nordic combined Tuesday as Bill Demong of the U.S. trails at Whistler, Canada. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
A teammate tackles Mario Stecher after the men’s Nordic combined event, in which the defending champion Austrians prevailed by 5.2 seconds. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Mario Stecher, who grabbed the lead in the last stages of the team Nordic combined event as Austria took the gold Tuesday, grins as he is knocked off his feet by a teammate. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
U.S. competitors show happiness over their second-place finish in the team Nordic combined Tuesday at Whistler, Canada. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Friends and relatives exult with Todd Lodwick, who helped secure the U.S.’ first medal -- a silver -- in the team Nordic combined Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The U.S. athletes who skied to the silver medal in the team Nordic combined Tuesday: Brett Camerota, left, Todd Lodwick, Johnny Spillane and Bill Demong. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
American Ted Ligety navigates past a gate in the men’s giant slalom in Whistler, Canada, on Tuesday. Carlo Janka of Switzerland won the event. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Ted Ligety of the U.S. leans into a turn in the men’s giant slalom Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
American Jake Zamansky recovers Tuesday from a near-crash into a gate in the men’s giant slalom at Whistler, Canada, in which no U.S. skier was able to win a medal. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Bode Miller skis off the hill after missing a gate in the opening run of the men’s giant slalom at Whistler, Canada. Miller has three medals in these Winter Olympics. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Bode Miller of the U.S. after missing a gate in the men’s giant slalom Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Team Nordic combined competitor Brett Camerota of the U.S. makes his competition jump on Tuesday. The U.S. later won the silver medal in the event. (Dmitry Lovetsky / Associated Press)
Freestyle skier Ophelie David of France competes Tuesday in the women’s ski cross at Cypress Mountain. (Alex Livesey / Getty Images)