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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wrapping Up The Winter Olympics, Canada Takes Hockey Gold

Aired February 25, 2002 - 05:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Did you see the big hockey game last night? I guess yesterday afternoon the Canadian hockey team helped put a cap on the two-week-long Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. They did it with a gold medal, their first in hockey in 50 years.

Athletes from 77 countries took part in the Games. Many of them marched in the city's Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony last night. Fireworks boomed and sparkled across the Utah sky during the big celebration.

At the top of the hour we told you about those drug test results at the Olympics. Let's look at that and the Canadians big hockey win.

Phil Jones of CNN "Sports Illustrated" has been covering these Games for us and he wraps up the last day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The final day, the final gold medal, the final all of North America so eagerly awaited. It was the USA against Canada to decide the gold medal in men's hockey at these 19th Olympic Winter Games. The Americans last lost on home ice at the Olympics 70 years ago to Canada. History repeated itself on Sunday in the most emphatic fashion, as the Canadians won 5-2.

(voice over): It was Canada's first men's hockey gold in the Olympics for 50 years. Joe Sakic was an inspirational force throughout. He iced it with a fifth goal in the dying seconds, as this hockey crazed nation finally won the title they've for so long craved.

Sakic and Jerome Iginla both scored twice. Wayne Gretzky, the great one, never won Olympic gold as a player, but won just about everything else, now as the team's general manager he can share in this hockey glory.

(on camera): In an Olympics littered with controversy, there was yet more scandal on the final day, this time concerning doping.

(voice-over): German born Spaniard Johann Muehlegg, a three time gold medallist in men's cross country skiing, tested positive for a performance enhancing substance so new it's not yet made it to the IOC's banned list. He has been stripped of his third gold medal by the IOC. The test was taken out of competition on Thursday. Women's cross country gold on Sunday initially went to Russia's Larissa Lazutina, who was disqualified from Thursday's relay after failing a blood screening test. Follow up results showed a positive result and she was stripped of her gold, too. Fellow Russian Olga Danilova was eighth. She, too, was thrown out of the games. The Russians are to appeal the decision.

(on camera): Another scandalous day at the 19th Winter Olympiad, but all of Canada is covered in gold.

From Park City, Utah at the 19th Olympic Winter Games, I'm Phil Jones, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: So Wayne Gretzky did his job and he spurred the Canadians on to victory so congratulations to our Canadian friends out there.

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I absolutely agree. I don't particularly agree that we should have all the NHL guys playing in the Olympics. You know, I mean, it was just like that dream team basketball thing a couple of years ago.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes.

MYERS: I like to see the little guys. I like to see the non- professional athletes.

COSTELLO: The true amateurs.

MYERS: Right, the guys who are out there day in and day out skating for free, not making any money but doing it because of the love of the game. So...

COSTELLO: See, you still have that innocent view of the Olympics, which has gone away.

MYERS: Yes, that's all over. That's completely shot. That's all done for this year, for sure. Let's see what they can do in four years.

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