Arms race will endure at 2010 Olympics

United States and Canada predict a highly competitive race for medals a year from now in Vancouver.

By RACHEL BLOUNT, Star Tribune

Last update: February 11, 2009 - 11:22 PM

As the economic downturn grips the globe, the world's foremost sporting event hasn't escaped the pinch. Last week, the organizing committee for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics increased its operating budget to $1.76 million while continuing to seek ways to contain costs.

That doesn't mean the host country has scaled back hopes for a solid-gold Games. With the Olympics set to begin one year from today, demand for the 1.6 million tickets has outstripped supply, Vancouver is preparing to host a record number of athletes and Canada's sports authorities are pumping money into training programs.

U.S. Olympic officials say all those signs point to a highly competitive -- and high-spirited -- Winter Games.

"Vancouver has been challenged economically,'' said Jim Scherr, chief operating officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee. "But we believe the conditions for athletic performance and success will be very strong, and the athletes will have a great experience.

"These will be the most competitive Winter Olympic Games we've ever faced. We're not going to make a prediction on a medal total, but we'll be well represented across the board.''

The Vancouver Games will be the largest Winter Olympics to date, with more than 5,500 athletes and officials from 80 countries expected to participate. The local organizing committee (VANOC) said that venue construction and renovation has been on budget, to the tune of $580 million, and on time. The biggest glitch thus far has been construction of the Olympic Village, which has been slowed by financing problems tied to the poor credit and real-estate markets.

Host countries typically increase funding to their athletes in advance of their home-field Olympics, and Canada has spent $110 million on its "Own The Podium'' program.

Canada did not win any gold medals in the two previous Olympics it has played host to, the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. It took home 24 medals from the last Winter Olympics, the 2006 Games in Turin, and likely will have to top 30 medals to beat Winter Games powers Germany and Russia this time around.

The U.S. won 25 medals in Turin, second to Germany and a record for most American medals in a non-domestic Winter Games. Scherr said the resources committed by the USOC and national sport governing bodies should continue to feed strong performances, but the Olympic arms race will not diminish.

"We've created a stronger base, and we will continue to grow in our ability to perform,'' he said. "In time, we'll see more sustained ability to put our athletes on the podium. People were pretty stunned by how we did [in Turin], and they significantly increased their efforts. Nobody is going to give up a spot to the U.S. easily.''

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