2010 Vancouver Games

The countdown is on — only 100 days remaining until the Vancouver Olympics, and that means all kinds of markers and milestones as athletes, coaches and fans prepare for the big event.

The host Canadians, for example, are waiting to see whether the massive investment in their “Own the Podium” program is going to pay off. Organizers are taking control of the $1 billion athletes village and hosting other celebratory events, and the Americans are gearing up while still searching for somebody to lead the U.S. Olympic Committee. Broadcasters at NBC-TV are rolling out a massive promotional campaign for the Games, as the countdown clock in downtown Vancouver (right) ticks away the seconds until the opening ceremony on Feb. 12, 2010.

Oh, and another 100,000 tickets for Olympic events go on sale Saturday, with an official web site allowing fans to resell tickets they can't use expected to be available soon.

“The ultimate focus is the Games,” said national speedskating coach Derek Parra, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Games and now coaches at the Utah Olympic Oval. “My thoughts are moving back from that point. I’m focused on what I have to do as a coach and what the athletes have to do to be their best.”