2014 Winter Olympics Tracker: Live coverage from Sochi, Russia
This liveblog will feature updates, news and pictures from events happening in Sochi, Russia as they happen. The focus of the tracker is on major events, news and American teams.24/7 coverage will include: - Opening Ceremonies live coverage (Friday, 2/7) from two Digital First Media sports writers who are at Sochi right now. (Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News and Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune)- Original reporting from Sochi: We have a team of 11 credentialed reporters, columnists and photographers from the Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News, Salt Lake Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press at Sochi. They will be filing in-depth coverage and real-time updates via Twitter. - What's important today: Our tracker team in New York City will highlight the major events, updates, teams and athletes that we are tracking each day during the Olympics. - Social media buzz: A curation of social media, pictures and videos from Olympic athletes, media correspondents and fans watching around the world. - Live coverage of the closing ceremony on Feb 23.

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Red was not a Winter Olympics fan. He told me: "Know the definition of a Winter Olympics writer? It's a baseball writer with a ski cap."by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:04:24 PM
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The Fisht Olympic Stadium begins to fill. instagram.com/p/kHnlfKG3-0/
by U.S. Figure Skating via twitter 2/7/2014 3:05:23 PM -
As usual, a lot of the talk here is about the security. It's been pretty relaxed to this point. No guns in evidence, moving quickly through metal detectors and such.
But based on what I'm hearing, it's a slow crawl through the checkpoints for the Opening Ceremonies right now. The Olympic Park itself has been on lockdown all day. You required special tickets - in addition to credentials - to enter any facility.
For the next four or so hours, we're at the moment of highest alert. -
So far, the "preshow" consists of dimmed lights and much of the peoples' most popular and refreshing trance music. Ugh. #IHateTranceMusicby MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:07:15 PM
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Pre-ceremonies reading: My column on how the strong people of Sochi are defying the terror threat factor: mercurynews.com/sports/ci_2507…by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:09:40 PM
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Opening Ceremony venue has the look of an indoor stadium, but it sure feels colder inside than weather outside #Sochi2014by Kurt Kragthorpe via twitter 2/7/2014 3:10:15 PM
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While you're waiting, read this. Every click equals a nickel: www.thestar.com/sports/sochi2014/2014/02/06/cathal_kelly_theres_nothing_here_russian_beer_cant_fix.html(Is it okay if I drop that nickel by your house when I get back?)
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@CathalKelly: Do you have security guards sleeping in hotel lobbies? Or looking as if they'd rather be anywhere else but in a hotel lobby. That was a must-see for me last year in Ufa at the world junior hockey championships.
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While you're waiting, read this. Every click earns a nickel.(Is it okay if I drop that nickel by your place once I get home? Otherwise, I'll write you a cheque.)
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And a previous piece with my assessment of the Olympic readiness, featuring delusional quotes from Russian officials: mercurynews.com/sports/ci_2507…by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:12:57 PM
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Nordic combined athlete Todd Lodwick, competing in his sixth Olympics, will be the U.S.'s flagbearer. Story from John Meyer of the Denver Post:
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Turns out someone else got a picture of that stray dog I mentioned. Thanks, @jellingworth : http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4S0ljCUAEVbIB.jpg
by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:14:08 PM -
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By the by, your tax dollars are about to work for you. CBC will be showing this deal live.Down in the U.S., NBC won't show the Opening Ceremonies until about five hours AFTER THEY'RE FINISHED.Capitalism.But don't worry. Capitalism is about to get a kick in the nads, courtesy of the Bolshoi.
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Black Sea. Sunset. Opening ceremonies. #Olympics #Sochi2014 #TeamUSA http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4TeoFIgAEJKsn.jpg
by Jamie Anderson via twitter 2/7/2014 3:17:42 PM -
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Thx, Stan, was fun. And I'm now live blogging opening ceremonies at bit.ly/1iw6Fum @BungerKCBS About to chat w/@MercPurdy in #Sochiby MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:20:37 PM
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Tweeted by the Globe's Mark MacKinnon from the Olympic Park, under the headline: 'No comment'.What indomitable will these soon-to-be-eradicated Sochi dogs have. THEY WILL NOT GIVE IN TO DESPAIR.
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Now, after a loud rock band plays loudly, a host and hostess "welcome" people. Problem is,stands are just half filled. Long security lines?by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:23:19 PM
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Opening Ceremonies are held at Fisht Stadium, which seats 40,000. Here's what it looks like at night:
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You've never heard Queen's "We Are The Champions" until you've heard it in Russian, as we're doing right now here at the ceremonies.by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:26:27 PM
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Olympic park looking beautiful as the sun sets http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4W2ThIEAA6nRP.jpg
by skeletonamy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:26:35 PM -
The hottest ticket in the world. #TeamCanada will enter Fisht Stadium wearing @TheHudsonsBayCo . #WeAreWinter http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4MtdGIcAEAG36.jpg
by Team Canada via twitter 2/7/2014 3:27:05 PM -
#USAhalfpipe is ready for #openingceremonies #Sochi2014 #goteamusa #TeamUSA #prompic http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4WH0uIEAAJRnA.jpg
by annad93 via twitter 2/7/2014 3:27:25 PM -
The Russians do know that Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, was guilty of gay propaganda, right? Someone is going to be in big trouble!by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:27:30 PM
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About an hour away. Fisht slowly filling up. It's quite cold in here but, #WeAreWinter . http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4WFqHIgAA_7lr.jpg
by Team Canada via twitter 2/7/2014 3:27:34 PM -
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Note empty seats in upper deck, with ceremonies starting in 30 minutes. Maybe they'll fill up soon. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4a5CRCQAA588G.jpg
by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 3:30:22 PM -
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Sundance's Steve Nyman announces he's in Sunday's downhill, via coaches' lineup selectionby Kurt Kragthorpe via twitter 2/7/2014 3:31:36 PM
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#sochi2014 #OpeningCeremony Athletes emerging from underground http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4p_3fIgAAfV79.jpg
by Jason Blevins via twitter 2/7/2014 4:36:22 PM -
Team Austria marching by my location. I truly dig this parade. And we're underway. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf4qIRECAAEUKx5.jpg
by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 4:36:56 PM -
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Those of you familiar with the hockey blog will be familiar with DRINK. A little game we play when we see the same thing over and over again, like a Nazem Kadri giveaway at the blue line. Thinking this morning, we'll DRINK when see other countries wearing only Red and White. Let's see if we can make it to Switzerland.
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See the unlit ring here. You will never again see the guy who was responsible for lighting that ring.
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