The Armenian Weekly sports correspondent Antranig Dereyan reports from Vancouver.
VANCOUVER, Canada (A.W.)—As darkness falls over Vancouver on Feb. 12, the night of the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Games, inside BC Place the lights are shinning as the participating Olympic nations prepare to live their Olympic dreams.
Outside, hundreds of people are scattered about. “I need two tickets, any tickets?” comes from one distraught Finnish support. “Sorry, the only tickets available are for $1,000,” says one representative.
Once the clock strikes 6 p.m., BC Place is filled with spectators wearing white shirts—called “White Out”—and snowboarders begin to appear on the stage.
Afterwards, Michaelle Jean, the governor general of Canada, and Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, come out. Following the singing of “O Canada” by Nikki Yanofsky, it is time for “The Parade of Nations.”
Greece, the host nation of the first Olympic Games, comes out first. Not before long, Argentina walks out. And then comes Armenia. Leading the way, holding his flag high and proud, waving it for the world to see is alpine skier Arsen Nersisyan. Behind him are the other members of the team, cross-country skiers Kristine Khachatryan and Sergey Mikayelyan, Armenia’s young super star, along with alpine skier Ani-Matilda Serebrakian. They march to the applause of the crowd, the silent cheering of Armenians behind the scenes at the event and the millions of Armenians around the world.
It is a sober experience when Georgia comes out. The loss of their luge athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili, just hours before was symbolized by the black ribbon at the end of the Georgian flag.
The Parade of Nations draws to an end with only one nation left to be introduced. The crowd rises to its feet, the stadium appears to be covered with a blanket of snow. Outside, Canadians are cheering from their homes, watching their TVs, scattered all throughout Vancouver’s downtown section and Whistler. With flags waving and cameras flashing, the last nation to make their walk in is the current host of the 21st Winter Olympic Games, Canada.
And the festivities begin. Canadian performers Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado, and Sarah McLachlan, to name only a few, sing songs and show their pride of their home country.
The event that takes the cake is the lighting of the Olympic Flame.
Again high-profiled Canadians take the stage: Steve Nash runs along with the light glowing above his head, tilting the flame down to light the torch of the final torch bearer, “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky. The crowd rises once again to their feet as Gretzky, almost in tears, along with Nash and the other torchbearers, wait for the cauldron to be lifted from underground into place.
With the crowd still roaring, the cauldron is beginning its appearance, but is taking a long time to do so. (It is only the TV viewing audience and media personnel who know about the technical issues that have arisen.) “We’ll be right back,” says the voice of most TV announcers. Once back live, the cauldron still isn’t in place, but the torchbearers hold their spots.
Finally the cauldron comes up, but not fully; only four out of the five stands appear, but the flame is lit.
With the BC Place flame glowing bright, the only other flame needing fire is the outside flame, which is downtown, next to Canada Place. And who better to do the honors than Wayne Gretzky?
Running onto the back of an open SUV, Gretzky is taken down the street, which is closed off to other cars, but not to the walking public. As the car drives up, it has no choice but to go slow as people are crossing the street and trying to touch Gretzky—just wanting a piece of this for themselves.
At the destination, the outside flame is lit, bringing an end to the ceremony and starting the Olympics—and the medal hopes for Armenia and the other nations.
Antranig Dereyan
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May God be with our ARmenian Athletes.. i am sooo ooooooooooo proud to have Armenia being represented in the Olympics.
It is definintely a high honor..
GOOD LUCK and GOD’s SPEED
Nodar Kumaritashvilli: Georgian Luger
You gave your place in fastest way.
You went running prone
Returned supine
With hopeless locked eyes.
Olympics is a festival no one should die
The tragedies are tragedies no one can avoid.
If it was man made
Must get punishment.
Man made mistakes
Gave others reward.
Inefficient Hands
Signed your unexpected death!
We are in tears
Can we forget?
Pains remain decades
For every innocent death.
We do pray and say,
“God helps your mother and no one else!”
February 18, 2010
We pray for Armenian Team rewards with a safe return to their city and their beloveds.