You know I love this kind of post. As you may recall, we've been watching a lot of the Olympics at our house, despite NBCOlympics.com's best efforts. It got me thinking about my favorite moments from Winter Olympics past. I accidentally discussed some of them in this post about the Summer Olympics, but here are a few more.
1. Kristi Yamaguchi's 1992 gold medal performances. What can I say? I was 10 years old at the time. I remember collecting newspaper clippings about it and everything. I think I could name every figure skater in the field, men and women, and she was my favorite. I wanted to BE her, at least until Oksana Baiul came along (see below).
2. All right, all right, looking back, the swan costume was a little ridiculous. But that spin thing where she puts her leg all the way up behind her head? WOW. I remember thinking she was like a ballerina on ice, which I guess she kind of was. Thus began a brief period of interest in "the" Ukraine (as we used to call it, remember?).
3. Surya Bonaly and her backflip. ON ICE. I don't think she ever actually did this during the Olympics but it was all anyone talked about anyway.
4. The drama of the 2002 SLC Olympics ladies' figure skating competition. Nothing went how it was supposed to. Sarah Hughes won gold, the unfortunately named silver medalist Irina Slutskaya claimed she was robbed, and Michelle Kwan fell during her routine and got bronze. After it was all over, Kwan skated a beautiful exhibition program to "Fields of Gold." Every time I watch it, I think I won't cry, but then every time, I do, always at the end when I see her face.
OK, now I realize that all my Winter Olympics memories consist of figure skating. Does anyone have any variety they could add to the mix?
1. Kristi Yamaguchi's 1992 gold medal performances. What can I say? I was 10 years old at the time. I remember collecting newspaper clippings about it and everything. I think I could name every figure skater in the field, men and women, and she was my favorite. I wanted to BE her, at least until Oksana Baiul came along (see below).
2. All right, all right, looking back, the swan costume was a little ridiculous. But that spin thing where she puts her leg all the way up behind her head? WOW. I remember thinking she was like a ballerina on ice, which I guess she kind of was. Thus began a brief period of interest in "the" Ukraine (as we used to call it, remember?).
3. Surya Bonaly and her backflip. ON ICE. I don't think she ever actually did this during the Olympics but it was all anyone talked about anyway.
4. The drama of the 2002 SLC Olympics ladies' figure skating competition. Nothing went how it was supposed to. Sarah Hughes won gold, the unfortunately named silver medalist Irina Slutskaya claimed she was robbed, and Michelle Kwan fell during her routine and got bronze. After it was all over, Kwan skated a beautiful exhibition program to "Fields of Gold." Every time I watch it, I think I won't cry, but then every time, I do, always at the end when I see her face.
OK, now I realize that all my Winter Olympics memories consist of figure skating. Does anyone have any variety they could add to the mix?