Forever Golden Part Two
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ByEurosport
Published 01/03/2006 at 13:23 GMT
From Michael Greis' first gold of the Games to Sweden's final golden slapshot, here are our finest moments from sixteen days in Turin. Read about days nine through sixteen in Part Two.
ICE HOCKEY 2006 Torino 2006 Henrik Lundqvist Sweden
Image credit: Reuters
DAY NINE: Ice-stare lasts eternity
Those who watched day-two of the ice-dancing contest witness the iciest moment of the Turin Games, one they will never forget.
The surprise leaders after the compulsory performance, Italians Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio relinquish the lead in one final terrible instant.
In literally the last seconds of their original dance programme, Margaglio collapses under the weight of his partner, not an easy feat in ice dancing, and Poli falls to the ground.
Livid beyond reckoning when she lifts herself up off the ice, Poli stops in her tracks and stares at Margaglio's shadow, eyes down-turned and gaze fixed for more than 30 seconds, which feel like an eternity.
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FIGURE SKATING 2006 Torino 2006 Ice Dancing - Original Fusar Poli Margaglio
Image credit: Reuters
Margaglio stands there facing her hands on his hips in disbelief, before opening his arms and going down on one knee in a plea of forgiveness, one which is not accepted.
On Monday, Italian newspaper La Repubblica describes the sight as such: "Barbara, with horror in her stare, an emptiness inside, would have shot him immediately if she had a pistol."
Compared to the smiles, hugs, and preening for the judges, which usually accompany any figure skating performance, Poli's death stare may be the truest moment the sport has ever realised.
DAY TEN: Raich realises golden relief
Overshadowing Michaela Dorfmeister's golden-double and a bizarre drug scandal straight out of the funny-pages, World No. 1 Benjamin Raich steals the show in the biggest day of the Games for team Austria.
Raich clinches victory in the giant slalom, and shortly after compatriot Dorfmeister wins her second gold of the Games claiming the super-G.
Austrians Hermann Maier and Alexandra Meissnitzer take bronze in each respective event, and the Austrian Ski Jump team wins Olympic gold shortly thereafter.
Add on top of that an ongoing Austrian drug scandal, replete with syringes, a car crash into cop cars, and a coach in a mental clinic, and it is quite the busy day for the Uber-team.
But day ten's Olympic instant comes when Raich, a twice world champion, falls to the ground after last challenger comes past the post slower than Raich's time and his first Olympic title is secured.
"I have wanted to win an Olympic race since I was a child," says Raich.
"I am so relieved."
TORINO DIARY: Read about Austria's mad day
DAY ELEVEN: Fabris 'Man of the Games'
Enrico Fabris goes from utter obscurity, to becoming an instant national hero after he beats the pair of mega-profile Americans Chad Hedrick and Shani Davis for the 1500m gold.
Fabris looks past the hype and breezes to the fastest time, as Hedrick blames a feud with Davis for his bronze and Davis' silver performances.
But all that matters to Italy is their newly annointed national saviour, as he ultimately leads the Italian medal count with two golds and a bronze after the host-nation fails to produce in the more popular sport of Alpine skiing.
La Repubblica declares Fabris "possibly the nation's salvation."
Gazzetta dello Sport labels Fabris "Man of the Games."
Before Turin, Fabris has said, the only time a reporter ever approached him was in Holland, a country, which appreciates its speed skating. Fabris couldn't get the time of day from the Italian press even after winning the European championship.
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SPEED SKATING Torino 2006 Fabris Enrico
Image credit: Eurosport
Now back home, Fabris is adorned with kisses, praises, and even offered a spot on an Italian reality television show, one which he refuses. Fabris stays humble.
"The more time passes, the more I realize how comfortable I feel with these medals," the 24-year-old policeman tells reporters days later. "They make me feel good, not anxious or fearful. I hung them up in my bedroom, so, once in a while, I can give a look to them and realize that I'm not dreaming."
DAY TWELVE: Canadian shock
Canadian 22-year-old Chandra Crawford surprises the odds, the favourites, and medal contending compatriot Beckie Scott by winning cross-country gold in the 1.2km sprint.
The former biathlete had only previously competed in six World Cup sprints, finishing third at the last contest before the Olympics in Davos.
Still, no one, the least of whom Crawford, expects the victory going into the early heats.
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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING 2005-2006 Torino SP 1.2 km F Final Crawford
Image credit: dpa
"I laughed through most of the medal ceremony until (the anthem) 'O Canada' started, then I did some really nice singing," the 22-year-old tells a post-race news conference. 'I was just so surprised. It just happened so fast.
"I could hear these thoughts coming into my head right before the final like, Medals, Medals' and I went, Get out of here, get out of here, just ski and get to the front and keep it really simple.'
"The next thing you know you cross the line and 200 people attack you and then you're on the podium."
DAY THIRTEEN: Slutskaya's fall gives Arakawa surprise gold
Seven-time European champion Irina Slutskaya falls on a triple-loop midway through her free skate programme, handing the gold to a stunned Shizuka Arakawa on the final performance of the night.
Arakawa earns her nation's first Olympic gold medal in figure skating, winning the women's contest after a personal best in the free programme.
Arakawa is aided by stumbles from the both Cohen and Slutskaya, who were one and two respectively after the free skate, and only separated by 0.03 points.
Slutskaya is relegated to bronze, and Cohen earns a disappointing silver, as Arakawa is shocked.
"I'm surprised right now and can't find the words to express what I'm feeling," Arakawa says.
"I never expected that I would be the first one to win a gold medal for Japan ... but I'm very happy that I am the one who won it."
DAY 14: May I have my clothes please?
In the bronze medal match between Great Britain and the USA, the concentration of both teams tested to the limit when a streaker races onto the ice sporting nothing but a chicken to keep his short and, ahem, curlies from freezing.
Security guards hover near the streaker before engulfing him and leading him out the door.
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CURLING Torino British
Image credit: Imago
As the armed police eject the man, naked into the cold mountain air, he was heard to plead in a Scottish accent: "Please will someone bring me my clothes?"
Pizza parlour owner Pete Fenson and his US team keep their cool and go on to claim bronze as the Brits rested on their brooms, laughing when the anonymous man entered burst into nude Olympic lore.
DAY FIFTEEN: All I can say is sorry
Wearing Bib No. 1, the World slalom No. 1 Giorgio Rocca turns in one of the biggest Olympic anti-climaxes in the history of the Games.
Just 34 seconds into his opening run, Rocca crashes out, flopping into the snow in every pre-race favourite's worst nightmare.
Benni Raich ultimately wins his second gold of the Games after two blazing runs, but the story here is Rocca's disappointment, and that of Italy's.
Prior to the race Rocca was not only the odds-on favourite, having won five straight slalom races earlier in the season, he was the final Olympic hope of the host-nation.
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ALPINE SKIING 2006 Italy Rocca
Image credit: Eurosport
Pro-Rocca banners littered the sold-out crowd, and Italian fans were seen hanging out of nearby hotel rooms to get a glimpse of the nation's next Olympic hero.
The Italian was reportedly flown onto the mountain by helicopter.
Rocca's initial response: "I didn't even have any time to react, I already had my face in the snow.
After the time to reflect on what the failure meant to his countrymen sunk in, Rocca has this to say.
"I made a mistake. I'm sorry."
DAY SIXTEEN: How Swede it is
Just 10 seconds into the third period of the gold medal match, Nicklas Lidstrom bangs a slapshot that catches everyone in the building - starting with Finland goalie Antero Nittymaki - by surprise.
Sweden go up 3-2 and must hold off the fighting Finns for the next 20 minutes.
A miraculous Henrik Lundqvist save in the last minute insures the Swede's first place finish, but the moment of Turin's last day, and of the ice hockey tournament, has to be Lidstrom's goal.
The game winner comes just after the second intermission. Mats Sundin wins the opening face off. Peter Forsberg moves into the Finnish zone and gives it back to the Swedish captain who drops the puck off for Lidstrom at the left point.
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ICE HOCKEY 2006 Torino 2006 Nicklas Lidstrom
Image credit: Reuters
The Detroit Red Wings defenseman then tattooes a slap shot that flies over Niittymaki's right shoulder and wins Sweden the tournament.
Sundin describes the enormity of the goal.
"Lidstrom's goal should be on a postage stamp," he says after the win. "They should definitely do it. It's the first time we've won a tournament against the best in the world and that shot will go into the history books."
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