ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
First medals up for grabs after dazzling opening
http://www.ecns.cn/2014/02-08/99960.shtml
Feb 8th 2014, 07:59
2014-02-08 16:59
Olympic athletes were on Saturday competing for the first medals of the Sochi Winter Games after Russia staged a thrilling opening ceremony that impressed even foreign sceptics. [Special coverage]
President Vladimir Putin late Friday declared open the 22nd Winter Olympics in a ceremony that took 40,000 people packed into the Fisht stadium and TV viewers around the world on a lightning tour through Russian history.
Thousands of fireworks exploded above the venue on the Black Sea coast during a ceremony that won gushing global praise despite an early glitch when one of the Olympic rings failed to appear.
"We missed this for so many years... a pride for our country, a feeling for her power, unity and greatness. Yesterday, we felt it," the Moskovsky Komsomolets daily said.
After a build-up dogged by controversies on issues ranging from Russia's gay rights record to security, the successful ceremony took some pressure off the organizers, who have been under unprecedented scrutiny.
In Games that are among the most politically charged of recent times, the focus moves to the sporting action Saturday at sea-level and in the mountains above Sochi. Five gold medals are up for grabs.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at https://blogtrottr.com
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe here:
https://blogtrottr.com/unsubscribe/qhG/Zc7fXt
No comments:
Post a Comment