Prague, July 02: Pre-vote favourites Vancouver won the 2010 winter Olympics here today in a nail biting finish against South Korea's Pyeongchang. The Canadian city won the games by only three votes - gaining 56 to Pyongyang’s 53.
In the first round Pyongyang nearly snatched victory when the IOC session gave 51 to the South Korean ski resort.
Vancouver trailed with 40 and Salzburg crashed out after only collecting 16 votes.
Four more votes and Pyeongchang would have won in the first round with an overall majority.
Even the support of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch could not save Salzburg who had expected to at least reach the second round and go head-to-head against Vancouver.
"It was our worst nightmare Senario," said a Salzburg spokesman. "Lots of IOC members told us they would vote for Pyeongchang in the first round and then back us. But we knew we risked going out in the first round."
There was nothing but joy in the Canadian camp, despite the narrowness of the victory.
"Great," enthused Vancouver bid boss john furlong. "It was tough but this is great for Canada. Now we are going to deliver a great Olympics."
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien leapt to his feet when IOC president Jacques Rogge read out the winner and hugged bid president Jack Poole - far removed from the Canadian premier's reaction when Toronto were beaten by Beijing in the race to host the 2008 summer Olympics at the vote in Moscow in 2001. Bureau Report