Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games Best Moments

Canada was changed forever when Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Where once Canadians might have been shy about showing their national pride, there was now unabashed joy in wearing head-to-toe red and white, in having the maple leaf emblazoned on their chests. Here are some of the very best moments of the last Olympic Games held at home.

Marlene Stewart Streit (Hockey Hall of Fame / Library and Archives Canada / PA-050472)
Canadian Olympic speed skater and cyclist Clara Hughes leads the Canadian team during the athlete’s parade at the opening ceremony for the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Friday, Feb. 12, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

When Clara Hughes led Team Canada into BC Place for the Opening Ceremony, the roar from the crowd that greeted them was just the start of what was to come.

When Wayne Gretzky hopped in the back of a pick-up truck to carry the Olympic flame downtown to light an outdoor cauldron, it was the most Canadian thing people had ever seen.

Fans wave to Wayne Gretzky as he leaves B.C. Place with the Olympic Torch in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 following the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Howe
Fans wave to Wayne Gretzky as he leaves B.C. Place with the Olympic Torch in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 following the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Howe

When Alex Bilodeau won Canada’s first ever Olympic gold medal on home soil with his biggest fan, brother Frédéric, cheering him on from the front row, there was hardly a dry eye across the country.

  • Alexandre Bilodeau celebrates his gold medal win at the men's mogul at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday February 14, 2010, at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
  • Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau celebrates his gold medal, Canada's first of the games, during a medal ceremony at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Monday, Feb. 15, 2010.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

When Maëlle Ricker became the first Canadian woman to win Olympic gold at home, everyone knew she couldn’t have written a better story than to do it in what was pretty much her backyard.

When Christine Nesbitt fulfilled all expectations and won 1000m gold at the Richmond Olympic Oval, everyone delighted in her delight with coach Marcel Lacroix.

  • Gold medallist Canada's Christine Nesbitt, right, and her coach react as she waits for the outcome of the last race during the women's 1000 meters race at the Richmond Olympic Oval at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)
  • Canadian speedskater Christine Nesbitt, from London, Ont., stands on the podium after receiving her gold medal for the women's long-track 1,000m competition during the medal ceremonies in Vancouver, BC Thursday Feb. 18, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
  • Maelle Ricker
  • Maelle Ricker

When Jon Montgomery hollered as he leaped onto the top step of the podium and then celebrated his skeleton gold with a big gulp of beer, there was a new most Canadian moment of the Games.

  • Photo: The Canadian Press
  • Team Canada Jon Montgomery

When Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir mesmerized with their stunning free skate to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, there were suddenly 35 million new ice dance fans.

  • Team Canada Tessa Virtue Scott Moir Vancouver 2010
  • Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir performing their free dance during the ice dance figure skating competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip,File)
  • Team Canada Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir Vancouver 2010
  • Photo: The Canadian Press

When Ashleigh McIvor won the first ever Olympic gold in ski cross, everyone relished in Canada’s greatness at new Olympic events.

When Team Canada did a 1-2 finish in women’s bobsleigh, everyone wanted to be a part of the podium party.

  • Team Canada Ashleigh McIvor
  • Ashleigh McIvor (Vancouver 2010)
  • Photo: The Canadian Press
  • Kaillie Humphries and Heather of Canada celebrate their gold medal with teammates and silver medalists Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown during ladies 2 person bobsleigh at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in Whistler, B.C. THE (CANADIAN PRESS)2010(HO-COC-Dave Sandford)
  • Photo : La Presse Canadienne

When the women’s hockey team shut out Team USA to win their third straight Olympic gold, everyone knew they were watching a dynasty at work and a star on the rise in Marie-Philip Poulin.

  • Hayley Wickenheiser
  • Team Canada celebrates with their gold medals Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 after defeating the USA 2-0 in the women's gold medal final ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
  • Canadian players celebrate after defeating the USA during the women's Olympic gold medal ice hockey game at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Thursday Feb. 25, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Scott Gardner

When Joannie Rochette had the skate of her life just days after her mother’s sudden passing, there was no hiding the emotions as the country supported her through the most difficult of circumstances.

When the men’s short track relay team revealed Operation Cobra, everyone admired the ingenuity that helped win Charles Hamelin win two gold medals in just half an hour.

  • Francois-Louis Tremblay Olivier Jean
  • 5 short track speed skaters carry Canadian flags in a victory lap
  • Charles Hamelin Francois Hamelin Olivier Jean Francois-Louis Tremblay Guillaume Bastille

When Jasey-Jay Anderson won his long-awaited Olympic gold just 10 minutes after Mathieu Giroux, Lucas Makowsky, and Denny Morrison were victorious in the team pursuit, it was hard to imagine ever coming down from the high. If anything, another gold later that night in men’s curling just kept it going.

  • Denny Morrison , Lucas Makowsky , Mathieu Giroux
  • Mathieu Giroux, Denny Morrison, Mathieu Giroux
  • Jasey-Jay Anderson
  • Jasey-Jay Anderson, Jy Anderson, Jora Anderson
  • Canada alternate Adam Enright, left to right, lead Ben Hebert second Marc Kennedy, third John Morris and skip Kevin Martin show off their gold medals after defeating Norway during Olympic men's curling finals action at the Olympic Centre on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 during the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

When Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal that gave Canada’s its record-setting 14th gold medal on the final day of the Games, there was no stopping the spontaneous street celebrations from coast to coast.

  • Sidney Crosby celebrating
  • Sidney Crosby carries the Canadian flag on a long pole
  • Thousands of jubilant Canadian hockey fans celebrate Canada's 3 -2 overtime gold medal hockey victory at the corner of Robson and Granville Streets in downtown Vancouver Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Scott Gardner
  • Canadian fans celebrate their gold medal victory against the United States in the final hockey match at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
  • Canadian fans celebrate as Team Canada score in overtime in their gold medal victory against the United States in the final hockey match at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, while watching the game on a giant display in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Since then, the pride has never died but only grown.