The Winter Olympics in Turin are set to end this evening and two weeks of sporting endeavour is at an end.

I think these have been an excellent Games that have provided great entertainment for viewers, even if Shelley Rudman proved to be Britain's only medal. The top three highlights for me.......Antoine Deneriaz's gold medal run in the men's downhill two weeks ago, the only man who could deny long-time leader Michael Waldhofer..... Giorgio di Centa tonight - the last gold medal of the Games presented to an Italian at the closing ceremony - and even better, presented to him by his sister, also a gold medallist. And finally, the appearance of Katarina Witt as a pundit on the women's figure skating. A dazzling champion with golds from Sarajevo and Calgary, she still looks absolutely stunning at the age of 40, over 20 years after she featured in this particular teenager's dreams. And she can still dance - much to Robin Cousins' amusement. Or was that bemusement.....

There have been those who have questioned the quality, and even the point, of the Winter Olympics. But sport, in all its guises, is such a wonderful manifestation of the human spirit. How many medallists have said in their interviews that this is what they have dreamed of since they were a child and first saw a sporting event, in whichever discipline? How many other fields of endeavour, worthy though they are, can encapsulate the fulfilment of those dreams, often in such a dramatic way? What else can bring such pleasure to those playing and watching, regardless of whether it be Olympic level or a Sunday league? From all those hours of lung-bursting, sinew-straining preparation to the final dash for the line, nothing else quite has the camaraderie and spirit of sport.

I love it and will continue to do so until the day I shuffle off this mortal coil, having bowled my last ball, hammered my last boundary and scored my last goal. It's a poor cliche and it's not fair to others but....I never trust anyone who doesn't like sport!