VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Down-on-his-luck Didier Defago emerged from the shadows of powerful Swiss ski teammates to win his country’s first men’s Olympic downhill title in 22 years on Monday on day three of the Vancouver Games.

It was the highlight of another day of thrilling Olympic action which featured a second U.S. triumph at the expense of a Canadian pace-setter in the snowboard cross and the return to the podium of a 32-year-old cross country skier who had once quit the sport because she was so happy being a new mother.

VANCOUVER, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Down-on-his-luck Didier Defago
emerged from the shadows of powerful Swiss ski teammates to win
his country’s first men’s Olympic downhill title in 22 years on
Monday on day three of the Vancouver Games.

It was the highlight of another day of thrilling Olympic
action which featured a second U.S. triumph at the expense of a
Canadian pace-setter in the snowboard cross and the return to
the podium of a 32-year-old cross country skier who had once
quit the sport because she was so happy being a new mother.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – A Swiss skier flew out of the shadows of his more illustrious team mates to win his country’s first men’s Olympic downhill title for 22 years on Monday.

Didier Defago reached the pinnacle of men’s skiing at 32 years of age by flying down the winding Whistler course far faster than his nation’s top dogs and pre-race favorites, Didier Cuche and Carlo Janka.

VANCOUVER, Feb 15 (Reuters) – A Swiss skier flew out of the
shadows of his more illustrious team mates to win his country’s
first men’s Olympic downhill title for 22 years on Monday.

Didier Defago reached the pinnacle of men’s skiing at 32
years of age by flying down the winding Whistler course far
faster than his nation’s top dogs and pre-race favourites,
Didier Cuche and Carlo Janka.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Weight of a nation on his shoulders? Pressure to win first Canadian gold on home soil too much too handle?

Nah, not for mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau.

“There was no pressure!” the 22-year-old shouted after scored Canada’s first gold model of the Winter Games on Sunday and allowing a nation to heave a collective sigh of relief.

VANCOUVER, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Weight of a nation on his
shoulders? Pressure to win first Canadian gold on home soil too
much too handle?

Nah, not for mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau.

“There was no pressure!” the 22-year-old shouted after
scored Canada’s first gold model of the Winter Games on Sunday
and allowing a nation to heave a collective sigh of relief.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Baby, it’s cold outside and the loud Canadian crowd is driving me crazy, but will you be my Valentine even though I want to win more gold medals than you?

Olympic gold-winning Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer might send that missive on Valentine’s Day Sunday to his girlfriend, a hockey player who got her gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.

VANCOUVER, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Baby, it’s cold outside and
the loud Canadian crowd is driving me crazy, but will you be my
Valentine even though I want to win more gold medals than you?

Olympic gold-winning Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer might
send that missive on Valentine’s Day Sunday to his girlfriend, a
hockey player who got her gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Hong Kong immigrant Susanna Ng sells thousands of steamed buns every day from her bakery in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Now she has spent thousands of dollars kitting out her waitresses in the uniform of the moment — Canada’s red ice hockey jersey for the 2010 Winter Games.

VANCOUVER, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Hong Kong immigrant Susanna Ng
sells thousands of steamed buns every day from her bakery in
Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Now she has spent thousands of dollars kitting out her
waitresses in the uniform of the moment — Canada’s red ice
hockey jersey for the 2010 Winter Games.