A Tour of Olympic Proportions in Vancouver

Twelve students at NYIT’s Vancouver campus visited the Richmond Olympic Oval where they discovered their true strength. The structure was used during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics for the speed skating events and has since been converted into a sports complex and museum.

Once they arrived, the students literally hit the wall. Each attempted to climb the indoor climbing wall. “That was a challenging activity, but our strength, ability, and the encouragement from our classmates allowed us to successfully overcome it,” said Valentina Lameda, an M.B.A. candidate and student assistant for Campus Life.

The experience also gave the students a sense of camaraderie. “It helped us to get to know each other a lot better outside of the classroom and build stronger bonds by participating in the various activities,” Valentina said.

Indoor wall climbing wasn’t their only challenge. They also had the chance to see what it is like to be an Olympic athlete. The Richmond Olympic Experience (ROX) at the Richmond Olympic Oval is an interactive exhibition that features sport simulators, including kayaking, bobsledding, ski jumping, and race car driving.

“It was mesmerizing to see the historic Olympic torches, medals, and how the tournament evolved over time,” said Shivani Thakur, a master’s candidate in Information, Network, and Computer Security. “Experiencing the state-of-the-art Olympic sports simulators was a first for me and a must-do at the sports complex. I would love to go there again in the future.”

Photos by NYIT student Miranda Cabiladas.