For the first time, eight women carried the Olympic flag: Italian actress Sophia Loren, Chilean writer Isabel Allende, American actress Susan Sarandon, Nobel Peace-prize winner Wangari Maathai of Kenya, and three Olympic medal winners. They were Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco, Manuela Di Centa of Italy, and Maria Mutola of Mozambique. The eighth was Cambodian human rights activist Somaly Mam.
Snowboarders have been practicing a spectacular move never before unleashed at an Olympic halfpipe -- the frontside 1260, where the boarder spins three and a half times in midair. But it's still not clear whether anybody will try the tough trick in competition.
"It's a great trick if you can land it smooth and clean, but you've got to have some style," said US snowboarder Daniel Kass.
Teammate Andy Finch agreed, and had some simple advice for competitors in Sunday's event: "Just go big."
At least three boarders -- Italy's Giacomo Kratter, Finland's Antti Autti and Mathieu Crepel of France -- have landed the trick successfully in practice.
Kratter says he's considering trying it the final.
DETERMINED DALCIN
Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin is looking for revenge, and no one should doubt his determination or his courage.
The French downhiller tore his knee ligaments on the first jump in Salt Lake City four years ago but continued skiing, even when he lost his ski because his leg couldn't support him any more. And he finished 11th.
"I haven't forgotten. I almost had a medal round my neck," the 27-year-old said.
FRENCH AMBITION
Sports Minister Jean-Francois Lamour, himself a double Olympic gold medalist, hopes France can do at least as well as the record 11 medals it won four years ago.
"If the team can reproduce the results from Salt Lake City, it will be a very good games for the French team," said Lamour, who won fencing golds in 1984 and 1988 and carried the French flag at the 1992 games.
He said he was hoping for up to 15 medals.
RSS