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Lighting the Way
Vancouver welcomed the world to the Olympic Games on February 12, 2010, with a spectacular, eye-popping ceremony that included world-class singers, dancers and even some killer whales. Here, a giant bear lit with LED lights towers over some of the night's performers.
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O Canada
Highlighting Canada's rich (and often overlooked) diversity, a native Canadian dances during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The ceremony was held inside for the first time in its history.
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The Great Torch Bearer
After months of speculating which Canadian would do the honors, ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky lights the cauldron and later calls it "one of the great days of my life."
Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
In Remembrance
In an unexpected and tragic turn of events, luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died during a training run, just hours before the opening of the Vancouver Olympic Games. Here, a woman lights a candle in his memory.
Skating into History
Short-track skater Apolo Anton Ohno skates ahead of the competition to become the most decorated U.S. male in the winter Olympics Games.
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Mogul Medalist
Skiing down a knee-jarring path in the moguls freestyle final, Hannah Kearney pushes ahead of the competition to win the first gold medal for the United States at the Vancouver Olympic Games.
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Oh-La-La!
French figure skaters Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur may not have taken home a medal during the short program on Valentine's Day, but they did make history: They became the first black couple to compete at the Olympic Games.
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The Pride of Canada
Putting an end to a Canadian drought, Alexandre Bilodeau wins the men's moguls freestyle skiing title and brings home his country's first gold medal on Canadian soil.
Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Golden Girl
Despite a pregame shin injury, Lindsey Vonn defied the odds—and tamed a brutal course—to win the women's downhill gold.
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A Halfpipe Hit
Soaring above the competition, snowboarder Shaun White wins the men's halfpipe event and delivers the United States its fifth gold medal in Vancouver.
Photo: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images
Mission Accomplished
He was in it to win it! U.S. figure skater Evan Lysacek admires his gold medal after the men's long program in Vancouver. Lysacek is the first American male to take gold in figure skating since Brian Boitano in 1988.
Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
Uh-Oh Canada
Canadians had their hearts broken when the U.S. men's hockey team defeated Canada in a 5-3 victory. The win over Team Canada, who started out as gold-medal favorites, will usher the United States into the quarterfinals.
Photo: Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images
Triple Threat
Bronze? Check. Silver? Check. Gold? Check! Bode Miller leaves the Vancouver Games with one of each after victories in the downhill, super-G and super combined. The super combined is where he won his first-ever gold medal.
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Dancing Queen (and King)
Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir made history when they became the youngest couple to win gold in the Olympic ice dancing event. They're also the first North American couple to take home the honor, with the United State's Meryl Davis and Charlie White earning the silver.
Photo: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images
Tears and Triumph
Just two days after her mother's shocking death, Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette took the ice in a brave and triumphant short program performance. Not only did she earn the third highest score of the evening, but she skated a personal best…and left a crowd of 14,000 wiping tears from their eyes.
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The Queen Reigns
Known throughout her home country as "the Golden Queen," Kim Yu-Na of South Korea performed a flawless free skate—and broke a couple records while she was at it. Her hard-earned gold medal, which was the first for South Korea, overjoyed an entire nation of fans.
