Medal Counts

Re "2002 Olympics 'Lights the Fire Within,' " letter, Feb. 28: Here is how I see the Olympics: a colossal waste of time, energy and money that has everything to do with political posturing, medal counts, flag-waving and profit and almost nothing to do with the spirit of amateur athletic competition. I wonder how many amateur hockey players "after years of training and sacrifice" sat home and watched the games on television? Gil Frazee San Antonio Heights

The United States was again on the golden end of the swimming rivalry against Brazil on at the Pan American Games at Guadalajara, Mexico. The Americans won three events Wednesday to Brazil's one, increasing their lead in gold medals in the swimming medals table to 15-7. But Kristel Kobrich of Chile broke the American women's hold on the top of the podium, winning the 800-meter freestyle. Women from the United States have won the other 11 races at this year's games. Overall at the games, the Americans increased their lead in the medals standings with eight golds on Day 5. The United States has won 32 gold and 82 overall, while Brazil has 12 gold and 36 overall.

Don't let the time difference between here and Japan keep you from staying current on the Games. For Times columnist Mike Downey's audio updates on events in Nagano, as well as the latest news, features, scores, and medal counts, point your browser to the Los Angeles Times Web site's section on the Winter Olympics. The Web site offers a daily photo gallery of Olympics action, audio and video highlights, and a message board to let you sound off about what's happening at the Games. Go to: http://www.

With each passing day, the weight pressed a little heavier on their shoulders. Some of the Canadian athletes tried to shrug it off, but it was tough to ignore all that talk about dominating on home soil and owning the podium. "You grow up in Canada," said Hayley Wickenheiser, captain of the women's hockey team, "you know the expectations." A week into the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, every athlete wearing a maple leaf knew the True North Strong and Free looked downright feeble with only six medals.

If you're counting Olympic medals--and who isn't these days?--what happens this summer in Seoul probably won't be a repeat of the U.S. nightmare in Calgary, but it's certainly not going to remind anyone of the summer of 1984 in Los Angeles, either. Those who believe the United States is going to rebound from its poor performance in the Winter Olympics with another splashy, star-spangled show in Seoul are going to be surprised, say experts within the U.S.

Through 20 events Germany, 4 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze, 12 total Russia: 4 Gold, 3 Silver, 0 Bronze, 7 Total Norway: 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze, 7 Total Austria: 0 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze, 6 Total Finland: 2 gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze, 5 Total

When speedskaters Brian Hansen, Jonathan Kuck and Chad Hedrick finished the team pursuit "A" final early Saturday afternoon, they could pat themselves on the back for winning a silver medal and officially start the U.S. chest-thumping for making history. Theirs was the 35th medal for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics, one more than its record 34 at Salt Lake City in 2002. Steve Holcomb's four-man bobsled team added another later Saturday, the first U.S. gold in the sport since 1948.

For the briefest moment, Bill Demong stood absolutely still, closing his eyes, exhaling. Only then did he step onto the highest part of the podium, the spot reserved for the winner. "I didn't expect to win the medal until it was over," he said. "I'm just starting to let it sink in a bit." Let it sink in that he had won gold in the large hill event of the Nordic combined at Whistler Olympic Park on Thursday. Let it sink in that his victory, along with a second-place finish by teammate Johnny Spillane, capped a historic two weeks for the U.S. in this obscure sport that combines ski jumping with cross-country skiing.

The only other time the Winter Olympics have been in Canada, at Calgary in 1988, the U.S. team did so poorly the U.S. Olympic Committee called on volatile and voluble George Steinbrenner to fix the mess. The Yankees owner, then a USOC board member, calmly and quietly headed a commission that a year later issued a report reducing the USOC's previously amorphous mission to this bottom line: "Winning medals has always been the primary goal." And the U.S.

You will not hear the chimes of Olympic medals in Egypt's trophy cases. The country won only one in the Beijing Games. That embarrassment has riled President Hosni Mubarak, who has ordered an investigation into why his athletes fared so poorly. The state news agency has reported that Mubarak has ordered a committee to find out "who is responsible for the Egyptian mission's bad performance and calling them into account." Someone's going to be in trouble. But it most probably won't be Mounir Thabet, the head of the country's Olympic Committee.

BEIJING -- The beauty of the Olympic medal count is also known as the fine art of manipulation. You have to like a system where there can be multiple winners. It seems clear that China will be able to claim victory Sunday, and IOC President Jacques Rogge even said it seemed to be inevitable when he was interviewed this week by news agencies. But the United States could very well claim its own triumph. How is this possible? With three days of competition remaining, China has 46 gold medals to 30 for the United States.