|
Let the Games
Begin!
by
Kelly L. Martinez
Today,
Feb. 8, 2002, the Winter Games of the XIX Olympiad will commence.
In case you didn't know, the Olympic torch spent the night in Salt
Lake City last night after a winding course took it through many
of the major cities in Utah. The torch will do a little hop-skip-and-jump
through the greater Salt Lake region today before its long-anticipated
arrival at the Opening Ceremonies in Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium
on the campus of the University of Utah.
I
have tried, in vain, to get an interview with somebody either on
the U.S. Olympic Team or in the Salt Lake Olympic Committee to give
me a little more insight into the 'behind the scenes' aspect of
this modern sporting spectacle. I even tried to secure an interview
with President Hinckley to get his thoughts on the Games, but was
kindly steered away from such an endeavor by a gentleman in the
Church's media relations department.
As
my colleague, Mike Morrow said in his column last week, nobody is
certain how many LDS athletes will be participating in 2002 Winter
Games. As far as I am aware, there are only two LDS athletes involved
in Olympic competition this time around. Werner Hoeger and his son
Chris will be representing Venezuela in the singles luge competition.
There are several other athletes that I SUSPECT are LDS, but I have,
thus far, been unable to verify my suspicions.
So
let's get this show on the road! Following, you will find a sampling
of information about the Winter Games. So keep this article handy;
there will be a test prior to the Closing Ceremonies!
The Mascots
•
Powder (hare), Copper (coyote) and Coal (bear) were unveiled on
May 15, 2000.
•
Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger) is the
Olympic motto and each of the mascots represent one aspect of that
motto. Snowshoe Hare (swifter), Coyote (Higher) and American Black
Bear (stronger).
•
The three are representatives of the land and culture of Utah and
were chosen because they are major characters in Native American
mythology.
•
From the Salt Lake 2002 website: 'Each mascot wears a charm around
its neck that has been fashioned after the original Anasazi or Fremont-style
petroglyph to remind the hare, coyote and bear of its heritage.'
•
Official Olympic mascots were first used in the 1972 Olympics held
in Munich.
The Emblem
• From the Olympic Media Kit: 'The SLOC emblem
is a crystal comprised of three colorful sections, each with its
own meaning. The amber section at the top represents the Olympic
Flame and the courage of the athletes. The sunset section in the
middle is based on Navajo weavings and reflects the culture of the
region. The mountain shadow section at the bottom is a snowcapped
mountain crest, representing the contrast of Utah's desert-to-mountain
landscape. Beneath the emblem are the Salt Lake 2002 logotype and
the Olympic Rings.'
The Torch
• The Olympic Torch began its relay on Dec. 4, 2001
in Atlanta.
•
The Torch, by the Opening Ceremonies, will have traveled over 13,500
miles through 46 states-including first-timer Alaska.
•
The Olympic Flame will have been carried by 11,500 torchbearers-each
carrying it approximately 0.2 miles.
•
In Utah, the Olympic Flame will have been carried by 900 torchbearers.
•
The Torch Relay has covered an average of 208 miles in a 12-hour
day.
•
By the Torch Relay's end at the Opening Ceremonies, the Olympic
Flame will have been transported by dog sled, snowmobile, covered
wagon, ice-skates, horse-drawn sleigh, airplane, train, ship and
automobile.
The Paralympics
• The Paralympic Winter Games will also be held in
the Salt Lake area on March 7-16, 2002.
•
The Paralympic Winter Games gives athletes with disabilities an
opportunity to compete at the international level.
•
The Paralympics will showcase approximately 600 athletes from 35
countries.
•
There will be 26 events contested, collectively, in the Paralympics.
The sports competed are: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country
skiing and ice sledge hockey.
•
The SLOC is the first winter organizing committee to fully integrate
the organizing of both the Paralympic Winter Games and the Olympic
Winter Games.
The athletes
• The SLOC website can tell you better than I can.
Go here: http://www.saltlake2002.com/x/f/frame.htm?u=/news/slocmain_front.asp
What's new?
• Added Winter Games sports since the 1998 Winter
Games: Skeleton (men's and women's) and Women's Bobsleigh (Bobsled)
•
Added events to existing sports: men's 12.5 km pursuit and women's
10 km pursuit (Biathlon); men's and women's sprint free (Cross-Country
Skiing); men's 15 km classical and women's 10 km classical (Cross-Country
Skiing); individual sprint event that includes K120 jump and 7.5
km cross-country race (Nordic Combined); men's and women's 1500
m (Short Track Speed Skating).
•
Changes in existing events: men's 30 km and women's 15 km changed
from interval to mass start (Cross-Country Skiing); first and second
parts of men's and women's pursuit competition to be held on the
same day and have been combined into one medal event (Cross-Country
Skiing); second part of pursuit race shortened from 15 km to 10
km for men and from 10 km to 5 km for women (Cross-Country Skiing);
increased number of teams in men's and women's tournament from eight
to 10 (Curling); increased number of teams in women's tournament
from six to eight (Ice Hockey); men's and women's giant slalom changed
to parallel giant slalom (Snowboarding)
Dollars and
sense
• Listed ticket price for opening and closing ceremonies:
$885 per ceremony
•
Originally, the SLOC's core budget for the Olympic Winter Games
was a whopping $1.32 billion. Since Mitt Romney was named
as president and CEO of the SLOC, the budget has been reduced by
$196 million. (Salt Lake 2002 Media Update; Fall 2001)
•
Reports project that the 2002 Winter Games will have an enormous
impact on Utah's economy. Amongst the benefits of the Games are:
$4.5 billion in economic output, 35,000 job-years of employment
and $1.5 billion in income to Utah business owners. (Salt Lake
2002 Media Update; Fall 2001)
•
State and local governments are expected to generate another $450
million in sales, income, property and fuel taxes. (Salt Lake
2002 Media Update; Fall 2001)
•
After all expenses are paid, it is expected that the state and local
governments will have about $75.9 million to invest in schools,
streets, parks and human services. (Salt Lake 2002 Media Update;
Fall 2001)
Click image for enlargement.
If you plan
on going...
• There is a one-mile uphill hike involved to attend
any of the events held at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City.
•
Spectators may bring one bag no larger than 10' x 12' x 6' inches
in dimension to any of the Olympic events.
•
Banners are permitted at Olympic events as long as they do not exceed
3'x 6' in dimension and do not contain material that is offensive,
commercial, political or religious.
By the numbers
• Involved in the staging of the 2002 Winter Games:
32,000 miles of optical fiber cable, 14,200 desktop phones, 10,000
cellular phones, 7,000 two-way radios, 4,500 computer workstations
and laptops, 1,850 FAX machines and copiers, 1,150 printers, 550
computer servers, 20 million pages of printed reports, seven Internet
operations centers, two Games data centers and one
information technology team.
•
Projected worldwide television viewing audience for opening and
closing ceremonies: 3.5 billion.
•
Sport sessions to be held at the 2002 Winter Games: 165
•
Number of event venues: 10
•
Medals to be awarded: 234 (excluding ties)
•
Projected number of athletes to compete in 2002 Winter Games: 2,345
•
Number of athletes that competed in the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano,
Japan: 2,339
•
Number of athletes that competed in the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix,
France: 294
•
Projected number of countries to participate in 2002 Winter Games:
80
•
Number of countries represented in the 1998 Winter Games: 72
•
Number of countries represented in the 1924 Winter Games: 16
Miscellany
• The Olympics will be under way before they're under
way. Huh? Let me explain: On Feb. 8, the K90 Individual qualifications
(Ski Jumping) will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Utah Olympic
Park and the Opening Ceremonies will begin at 6 p.m.
•
Park City has been the home of the United States Ski Team since
1973.
•
2002 Winter Games' first medal event: women's 15-kilometer Cross-Country
Skiing
•
2002 Winter Games' last medal event: men's gold-medal hockey game
•
Forecast for 2002 Opening Ceremonies: 30 degrees, cloudy with chance
of snow
•
Site of the 2006 Winter Olympics: Turin, Italy
•
State of this Meridian Magazine sports writer after hours of research
and consumption of Olympic facts, figures and trivia: Tired and
going home now.
If
you are aware of an LDS athlete that deserves recognition in Meridian
Sports, please e-mail the sports writer at sports@meridianmagazine.com
Click
here to sign up for Meridian's FREE email updates.
© 2001 Meridian
Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
|
