2010 Winter Olympic Games: Day 1 Recap

2010 Winter Olympic Games

Wanna get up to date on all the highlights from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, taking place in Vancouver, BC, Canada? Just leave it to Kidzworld! Here's a recap of the events that took place on Friday, February 12, 2010.

Tragedy On The Luge Track

The Games began with a terrible tragedy - 21-year-old luger Norad Kumaritashvili from the Republic Of Georgia died after he lost control of his luge (which is a kind of sled) during a practice run on the track at Whistler Mountain. Norad lost control during a dangerous turn and was throw from the icy track. He was rushed to hospital but did not survive his injuries.

The luge event has always been known as a very dangerous sport, where athletes can reach speeds of up to 100 miles an hour.

According to Olympic officials, the luge event will still take place at this year's Winter Games, despite the accident.

Star-Studded Torch Relay

Because this was the last day before the official start of the Games, the Olympic Torch, which has symbolized the Games since Ancient Greek times, wound its way through Vancouver's streets toward its final destination - the Olympic Cauldron - where the flame will burn constantly throughout the 17 days of the Olympics.

Here are some of the celebs who got the honor of carrying the torch on its final day:

The biggest secret of the Olympic Games has been: Who will be the last to light the cauldron? That question was answered on Friday, as NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky took the torch from the official Opening Ceremonies down to Vancouver's waterfront where he lit the official flame!

Opening Ceremonies

The Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games were totally amazing! They took place at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver in front of a crowd of 60,000 people! The audience played a role in the ceremonies, banging on drums and holding up LED lights that were placed under their seats before the show began. There were colorful native dancers, a parade of all the athletes from the many different countries who had come to compete, an amazing light show that even turned the floor of the stadium from an ocean of swimming Killer Whales to a starry night sky and, of course, a moment of silence for 21-year-old luger Norad Kumaritashvili, who had lost his life earlier in the day.

Some of the stars who performed throughout the show included singers Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado and Sarah McLachlan - amazing Canadians with tons of talent!

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