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United States in the lead with 12 medals

Entering the fifth day of competition in the 2010 Winter Olympics, the United States is in the lead with 12 medals won.

“So far, we’re in the lead. I think we will win the most medals. It’s close to home, too, and we do have people rooting for the U.S. up there,” Megan Ashenfelter, MCCC student said.

Athletes from over 80 countries are competing to win gold, silver or bronze medals in their sport at this year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Nearly 1,460 days ago, most of the athletes began their training for these Olympic games. Some athletes took but a few weeks of rest after the 2006 Winter Olympics before setting their sights on victory again.

The Unites States Olympic team is made up of 215 athletes from across the nation.

Short track speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno has already won a silver medal in the 1,500 meter final.

The hopes for Apolo to win Gold in the men’s 5,000 meter team race on Saturday runs high among fans. 

“He has a total of four events he will probably gold medal,” Ashenfelter said.

Later next week, Apolo will attempt to defend the title of gold in the men’s 500 meter final.

Lindsey Vonn, U.S. alpine skier, took gold in the woman’s downhill.

There has been much debate over whether or not she would win, due to suffering an injury to her shin while training in Austria nearly ten days ago,

Despite this injury, she skied a fast, steady and tight race down the frozen slope to reach the finish line.

Over the next six days, Vonn is scheduled in four more medal races, beginning with tonight’s Ladies’ Super Combined Slalom.

The U.S. witnessed one of its first historic moments of this Winter Olympic games on Monday, Feb. 15th, as U.S. skier Johnny Spillane missed gold in the Nordic Combined by four-tenths of a second.

He is the first U.S. skier to medal in this event.

Spillane is scheduled in three more Nordic Combined events over the next days. The sight of a gold medal is still within reach for him and the U.S. nordic team.

Shawn White delivered last night with his first run at the men’s Halfpipe, scoring a 46.8. Reaching nearly five feet above the other competitors in his straight incline, he sealed himself a defending gold medal.

His second run was merely a victory lap to please the crowd with his Double McTwist 1260. This run won him a score of 48.4 out of 50 to magnify the gap between his skill and the other competitors.

Still to come are the men’s and woman’s ice hockey finals.

The sheer test of skill, play and agility will be tested in these coming games. For some hockey fans, hopes run high for the U.S. men’s team.

“The Miracle of 1980 when the U.S. beat Russia, I would like to see that again,” Tom Flowers, a MCCC Adjunct Faculty said.

There is some concern among viewers as to how the hockey finals will be judged, however.

“I am hoping that it’s based on performance and not politics,” Flowers said.

Figure skating is in the sights of many Olympic viewers as well.

“I like the men’s the woman’s and the couples.” Cathy spearing, Whitman Center administrative assistant, said. “I like Johnny Weir even though he’s different.”

Johnny Weir is back after his debut in the 2006 Winter Olympic games. He will be skating in the men’s free skate this evening in search for a medal.

In the coming ten days of these Winter Olympic games the question of which country will take the final lead in total medals is left to be seen.