Sochi 2014: Action Shots of the Day, day 2: Opening Ceremonies

CONSIDER YOURSELVES WARNED Americans.

This post might contain some spoilers, so unless you don't want to watch the NBC coverage tonight of the opening ceremonies, here are some images from what took place on Friday night.

Some of the best shots from day 2, the Opening Ceremonies, from Fisht Olympic Stadium, as found on the net. Enjoy.

Sochi 2014: The Countdown Series: Final Thoughts & Parade of Nations Flag Bearer Updates

 

With the first day of competition on Thursday (in about less than eight hours) and the Opening ceremonies on Friday, some final thoughts for Sochi 2014:

• Women's ice hockey begins Saturday, while the men begin at midweek next week.
• Elena Isinbaeva, the Olympic and world champion pole vaulter, is the Mayor of the Olympic Village, despite all the shit the LGBT crowd gave to her after her press conference at Moscow 2013. It is reported that she is--after bragging about having a child in an interview at the Moscow World Championships--will finally meet that goal (source: various news reports).
• Plenty of protests in that city regarding LGBT treatment, even boycotts as well.
• The first day will feature three events, including the debut of the slopestyle.
• First Olympic games for new IOC President Thomas Bach.

And now...the updated flag bearer list. Nine countries have now confirmed flag bearers for the Parade of Nations on Friday night:

 

Yohan Goutt Goncalves (Timor Leste) Alpine

Conor Lyne (Ireland) Alpine

Tong Jian (China) figure skating

Hubertus von Hohenlohe (Mexico) Alpine

Shane Dobbin (New Zealand) speed skating

Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway) Alpine

Todd Lodwick (United States) Nordic combined

Anders Sodergren (Sweden) cross country

Alexandr Zubkov (Russia) bobsleigh

 

And some projected flag bearers, since these are the lone athletes from their respective countries competing at Sochi:

 

Tucker Murphy (Bermuda) cross country

Jasmine Campbell (United States Virgin Islands) Alpine

Luke Steyn (Zimbabwe) Alpine

Dow Travers (Cayman Islands) Alpine

Dimtry Trelevski (Kyrgyzstan) Alpine

Kari Peters (Luxembourg) cross country

Dachhiri Sherpa (Nepal) cross country

Muhammad Karim (Pakistan) Alpine

Andrei Drygin (Tajikistan) Alpine

Bruno Bonani (Tonga) luge

Michael Christian Martinez (Philippines) figure skating

 

Which leaves about 23 nations without a flag bearer for Friday night, including the following: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Independent Olympic Athletes, Netherlands, Portugal, Ukraine, and Turkey. In the next 24 hours we will learn who will those countries choose as opening ceremony flag bearers.

 

So there you have it. The countdown is over. Let the games begin!

 

Sochi 2014: The Countdown Series: Opening Ceremonies, Conclusion: Parade of Nations

Only less than three days remaining until the opening ceremony (two until the first day of competition) at Sochi 2014. Up next on the countdown: the opening ceremonies, conclusion: the Parade of Nations.

The Fisht Olympic Stadium (pictured) is where the opening (and closing) ceremonies at Sochi 2014 will take place. On Friday, 88 athletes will carry their respected nations' flags in the Parade of Nations. All other traditional Olympic stuff will take place as well, including the lighting of the flame, of course.

These games will mark the first under NEW IOC president Thomas Bach, who was elected as IOC president a few months ago. Bach replaces Jacques Rogge, who has since retired.

At present time, 45 of the 88 nations participating (a record) have confirmed a flag bearer. These are the confirmed opening ceremony flag bearers:

Pangiota Tsakiri (Greece) cross country
Fuad Guliyev (Azerbaijan) official
Erjon Tola (Albania) Alpine
Cristian Simari Birkner (Argentina) Alpine
Maria Kirkova (Bulgaria) Alpine
Zara Novakovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) Alpine
Peter Crook (British Virgin Islands) freestyle
Bernadett Heidun (Hungary) short track speed skating
Pan To Bartza Lui (Hong Kong) short track speed skating
Nino Tsiklauri (Georgia) Alpine
Lene Nielsen (Denmark) curling
Gary di Silvestri (Dominica) cross country
Javier Fernandez (Spain) figure skating
Armin Zoggeler (Italy) luge
Yerda Akhmadiyev (Kazakhstan) cross country
Hayley Wickenheiser (Canada) ice hockey
Lee Kyo Hyuk (Republic of Korea) speed skating
Sandis Ozolinsh (Latvia) ice hockey
Deividas Stagniunas (Latvia) figure skating
Tina Weirather (Liechtenstein) Alpine
Elise Pellegrin (Malta) Alpine
Olivier Jenot (Monaco) Alpine
Julia Marino (Paraguay) freestyle
Roberto Carcelen (Peru) cross country
David Kupczyk (Poland) bobsleigh
Eva Tolfavi (Romania) biathlon
Vincenzo Michelotti (San Marino) Alpine
Milanko Petrovic (Serbia) biathlon, cross country
Zdeno Chara (Slovakia) ice hockey
Tomaz Razingar (Slovenia) ice hockey
Alessia Afi Dipol (Togo) Alpine
Jason Lamy Chappuis (France) Nordic combined
Ivica Kostelic (Croatia) Alpine
Tarik Hadzic (Montenegro) Alpine
Sarka Strachova (Czech Republic) Alpine
Dominique Ohaco (Chile) freestyle
Simon Ammann (Switzerland) ski jump
Indrek Tobreluts (Estonia) biathlon
Marvin Dixon (Jamaica) bobsleigh
Ayumi Ogasawara (Japan) curling

And confirmed within the last 24 hours:
Aleksei Grishin (Belarus) freestyle
Jaqueline Mourno (Brazil) biathlon, cross country
Hossein Saveh Shemshaki (Iran) Alpine
Enni Rukajarvi (Finland) snowboarding

Some countries participating that haven't confirmed a flag bearer as of yet: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, China, Mexico, Independent Olympic Athletes, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, United States, Ukraine, Philippines, Turkey, Sweden and Russia.

The last part will deal with some final thoughts before the first day of competition on Thursday. This could also include some more flag bearer updates as well.

London 2012: Action Shots of the Day, day 3

Some of the best shots from day 3 of the London Olympics...

Friday Jukebox 7.27.12

Since there is talk out there that the Spice Girls are reuniting for the opening ceremonies in London Friday night, here is one of their best tracks from 1997's Spice, "Say You'll Be There." Before Ginger left.