Saturday, February 13, 2010

Who Will Light the Torch?


Speculation at the games have been focused on who would light the Olympic caldron at Friday night's opening ceremonies. This would be a national honor for whoever is chosen. Some say the honor will go to Wayne Gretzky, while others have campaigned for Betty Fox. Betty Fox is the mother of the late Terry Fox, who is a national hero in Canada. The Olympic Committee wants to choose the right person, since this is a huge deal. It is expected that hundreds of millions of viewers will tune in around the world to watch the event. Other acts at the opening ceremonies include singers Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan, and a ski jumper leaping through the Olympic rings. Canada is also expected to do better than the last time they hosted the Olympics. They are indeed looking for their first Winter Olympic gold medal on their home soil. However, not all Canadians are happy to be hosting the games this year. The biggest reason for the protest against the games is the money that is being spent on them. As for the torch lighter goes, the identity of the person is still a mystery.

I'll be honest, I really don't know anything about Terry Fox. But if I had the pleasure of choosing the person who lights the torch, I would go with Wayne Gretzky. He is a national hero who is also a NHL legend. He is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest hockey player of all time. And since this is a world-wide event and not just a Canadian event, I think Wayne Gretzky is a great choice. More people would be able to connect with Gretzky than Terry Fox. Fox is to much of a local hero. On another note, I'm glad Canada is hosting the Winter Games this year. It is close to home, so I can relate more to the Olympics than I could if they were half way around the world. I know it costs a lot of money to host them, but the country will also get a big income from the tourists. I also hope, and almost guarantee that Cananda will get their first home gold medal. They are too strong of a nation not to get it. Especially with the talented line-up they have on their hockey team. They are definantly strong favorites. As far as the person who is going to light the torch, your guess is as good as mine.


Read more about the opening ceremonies at:

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