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During the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, held beginning at 6:00 PM PST on February 12, 2010, 82 athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations led their national delegations as they paraded into BC Place Stadium in the host city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [1]
Athletes entered the stadium in an order dictated by tradition. As the originator of the Olympics, Greece entered first. Canadian delegates entered last, representing the host nation. The names of the nations were announced first in French and followed by English, the official languages of the Olympics, which also happened to be the official languages of the host nation. The nations entered in alphabetic order of their country names in English because it is the more dominant of the two languages in Vancouver and in the province of British Columbia.
Delegations from North Korea and South Korea marched in separate delegations, unlike in the 2006 Winter Olympics when they marched together. [2]
Of the flag-bearers who led their respective delegations, all but one were athletes, the exception being Fuad Guliyev, a skating official from Azerbaijan. The sport which was most represented among the flag-bearers was alpine skiing, as alpine skiers led 26 delegations. Only one delegation was led by a short track speed skater, Hong Kong, led by Han Yue Shueng. [1] Marjan Kalhor, an alpine skier and the flag-bearer for Iran, was both the first female flag bearer from her country and the first female athlete from her country to participate in the Winter Olympics. [2] It was erroneously pointed out by a Canadian TV commentator that Tomomi Okazaki was the first female flag bearer for Japan. This title goes to Seiko Hashimoto in Calgary 1988. Other prominent flag bearers included Canadian speed skater and five-time Olympian Clara Hughes, American luger Mark Grimmette, who had helped carry the American flag during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and Czech hockey player Jaromír Jágr. Hughes is the only Olympian ever to win multiple medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. [3]
Iason Abramashvili, flag bearer for Georgia, along with the other members of his delegation, wore black armbands during the march and received a standing ovation in memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger who was killed in an accident during a training run earlier in the day. [4]
The Olympic Games ceremonies of the Ancient Olympic Games were an integral part of these Games; the modern Olympic games have opening, closing, and medal ceremonies. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies date back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies. During the 2004 Games, the medal winners received a crown of olive branches, which was a direct reference to the Ancient Games, in which the victor's prize was an olive wreath. The various elements of the ceremonies are mandated by the Olympic Charter, and cannot be changed by the host nation. This requirement of seeking the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) includes the artistic portion of opening and closing ceremonies.
Brazil sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held from 12–28 February 2010. The Brazilian team consisted of five athletes competing in three sports.
The Cayman Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held between 12–28 February 2010. The territory made its debut at the Winter Olympics, sending one athlete, alpine skier Dow Travers. Travers entered the men's giant slalom and finished in 69th place.
Chinese Taipei sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–28 February 2010. Although the nation is known as Taiwan or the Republic of China, the International Olympic Committee mandates that the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee flag and name is used, and not the flag of Taiwan, as per the Nagoya Resolution, which Chinese Taipei accepted in 1981. This was Chinese Taipei's eighth time participating in the Winter Olympic Games. The Chinese Taipei delegation consisted of a single athlete, luger Ma Chih-hung. He finished 34th in the men's singles event.
Hong Kong, a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China, sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–28 February 2010. The delegation competed under the name "Hong Kong, China" (中國香港). This was the SAR's third appearance at a Winter Olympics, and the delegation consisted of a single short-track speed skater, Han Yueshuang. Han's best performance was 24th in the women's 500 metres.
Algeria sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held between 12 and 28 February 2010. The country's participation at Vancouver marked its third appearance at a Winter Olympics since its debut in 1992. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Mehdi-Selim Khelifi. Khelifi competed in the 15 kilometre freestyle event, and finished in 84th place
Peru sent a delegation to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–28 February 2010. This marked Peru's debut at the Winter Olympics. The Peruvian delegation consisted of three athletes: two alpine skiers—Manfred Oettl Reyes and Ornella Oettl Reyes—and the cross-country skier Roberto Carcelen. The nation's best performance in any event was 67th place in the men's giant slalom alpine skiing event by Manfred Oettl Reyes.
San Marino sent a delegation to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12 to 28 February 2010. This was the nation's eighth appearance in the Winter Olympic Games. The San Marino delegation consisted of a single competitor, the alpine skier Marino Cardelli, who finished 80th in his only event.
Colombia competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
Portugal sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada from 12 to 28 February 2010. This was the nation's sixth appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. The Portuguese delegation consisted of a single cross-country skiing competitor, Danny Silva. He placed 95th in the 15 kilometre freestyle race.
Albania sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held between 12–28 February 2010. This was Albania's second appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. The Albanian delegation consisted of a single alpine skier, Erjon Tola, whose best finish between all his events was 48th.
Ethiopia sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–28 February 2010. Ethiopia was making its second appearance in a Winter Olympics, and like four years prior, the only athlete sent to compete was cross-country skier Robel Teklemariam. Teklemariam finished 93rd in the 15 kilometre freestyle event.
Tajikistan sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12–28 February 2010. The nation was participating in its third Winter Olympic Games. The Tajikistani delegation consisted of a single athlete: alpine skier Andrei Drygin. Drygin's best finish in any of his events was 44th in the super-G.
Nepal sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 12 to 28 February 2010. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Dachhiri Sherpa. Sherpa finished 92nd in his only event, the 15 kilometre freestyle
Tonga sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was the Pacific island nation's debut at the Winter Olympic Games. The Tongan delegation consisted of one luge athlete, Bruno Banani, who had changed his name in a marketing gimmick to match that of German brand Bruno Banani. In his event, the men's singles, he came in 32nd place out of 39 competitors.
2014 Winter Olympics Parade of Nations was part of the opening ceremony at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The national team from each nation participating in the Olympic Games was preceded by their national flag flag bearer into Fisht Olympic Stadium in the host city of Sochi, Russia. The flag bearer was an athlete of each national delegation chosen, to represent the athletes, either by the National Olympic Committee or by the national team.