olympic-torch-lit-in-sochi

Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina did the honors Friday night in Sochi by lighting the Olympic torch to officially start the 2014 Winter Games.

Rodnina is a former figure skater who previously won three gold medals for the host nation while Tretiak might be better known to U.S. Hockey fans as the goaltender Team USA chased in the 1980 miracle on ice. He’s also regarded as one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game so we won’t rub it in his face too much. That and I wasn’t even born in 1980 so I guess I can’t talk too much smack.

Meanwhile Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova and Vladamir Putin’s suspected girlfriend (who you can see below) Alina Kabayeva were one of the last two to hold the torch before everything was lit.

Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet Photocall