Here are the results of all of the Winter Olympics events in which Estonia has competed to date. For each event, we present the medalists and all Estonian finishers. Estonian competitors are shown in blue.
Estonian Olympic team results 2010
Estonia has so far captured one medal: the silver medal in the Ladies’ 10km Freestyle Cross-Country Skiing event, which was won by Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.
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Tagged estonia, estonian olympic team 2010, Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, olympics, vancouver 2010, winter olympics
Andrus Veerpalu
The twenty-first Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver are in only their second full day, and Estonia’s athletes have not even begun to compete, but away from the ice and the snow the Estonian team has already experienced both a victory and a defeat.
The victory came in the Parade of Nations on Friday, as Estonia caught the eyes of viewers around the world with its smartly designed outfits. An ongoing “Top Opening Ceremony Outfit” poll on the Huffington Post ranks Estonia 6th, behind the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Latvia (go Balts!), and Bermuda. The Estonian outfits were designed by Estonian fashion house Monton. Click on the image below for a better look.
So much for the victory. The defeat came today with the suspension of Estonian cross-country skier Kaspar Kokk, whose blood test revealed hemoglobin levels above the permissible limit. He will be forced to miss the opening cross-country skiing event on Monday but, subject to further testing, will be eligible to rejoin the team on Wednesday.
Estonia looks smart in the Parade of Nations (12 Feb 10, Vancouver)
Kokk’s teammates will begin competing for medals when the cross-country skiing events kick off on Monday. Estonia is a flat country accustomed to long, snowy winters, so it’s no surprise that Estonians are avid cross-country skiers. For Estonians it’s not just a sport; often, it’s a mode of transportation.
Since the country’s re-independence in 1991, all six of its Winter Olympics medals have been won in cross-country skiing events. The team hopes to continue its success this year. Andrus Veerpalu (above) won two medals in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (the 15km gold and the 50km silver), and one in the 2006 Turin games (15km gold). He’ll be competing in both events this year as well and, although he just celebrated his 39th birthday, he’s considered to be a strong contender at both distances.
Read more about the outlook for Estonia’s Winter Olympic team here.
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Tagged andrus veerpalu, estonia, kaspar kokk, monton, vancouver 2010, winter olympics
