Team USA thanks America

The just-completed Winter Olympics are a memory and Team USA thanked everyone for their support and viewership during two weeks of action and excitement. From Team USA:

It is with great appreciation that we send you our biggest Thank You for your support of Team USA during these unforgettable XXI Olympic Winter Games. We recognize you, our loyal supporters, who passionately cheered, applauded and followed Team USA during their Vancouver 2010 journey. With the Closing Ceremony yesterday evening, the XXI Olympic Winter Games have ended. We thank Vancouver for the warm welcome and well-run games.

We are very proud of our Team USA athletes. They represented the United States with pride both on and off the field of play.

Team USA brought home the first U.S. overall medal victory since 1932 and the most overall medals ever won by any nation in the Olympic Winter Games - and Team USA athletes showed dignity, fair play and respect during their competitions. Team USA's success is a demonstration of the commitment of our athletes, to the excellence of the National Governing Bodies who support them, and above all, to loyal supporters like you. We are grateful to you for providing the resources and encouragement that allowed our athletes to achieve their dreams and inspire a nation. You were truly part of this success. Thank you for your loyal support.

Here are a few examples of the successes you contributed to:

- Team USA’s 37 total medals is an all-time Olympic Winter Games record; the medals breakdown for the U.S. was nine gold, 15 silver and 13 bronze
- Apolo Anton Ohno won his eighth career short track speedskating medal, becoming the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian ever
- Team USA won three medals in Nordic combined; their first in the sport
- Johnny Spillane became the first American (and fourth athlete all-time) to win medals in all three Nordic combined events in the same Olympic Winter Games
- Speedskater Katherine Reutter set an Olympic record in the 1000m (1:30.508)
- Bode Miller won gold, silver and bronze medals, becoming the first American to win three Alpine medals in the same Olympic Winter Games
- Shani Davis became the first U.S. Olympian to win a 1500m speedskating medal in two consecutive Olympic Winter Games
- Chad Hedrick won his fifth career medal, tying him with Eric Heiden for most by an American in men's speedskating

Find more highlights from the Olympic Winter Games, Click Here.

More Action Still to Come
On Saturday, the U.S. Olympic Committee announced the 50 athletes who will compete for Team USA at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver on March 12-21, 2010.

The U.S. Team, made up of athletes from 20 states, will compete in five sports (alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, sled hockey and wheelchair curling). A projected 600 elite athletes with a physical disability from more than 40 countries are expected to compete at the Paralympic Winter Games.

Click here to view the roster.