The Sochi Olympics have provided their share of thrills and spills, here's a selection of those moments when high performance athletes take a tumble, often after only the slightest mistake.

Freeskier Jossi Wells has been announced as the flagbearer for the the New Zealand Olympic Team at the closing ceremony

With the Sochi flame about to be snuffed, debate rages as to the quality of New Zealand's performance.

The summer and winters Games are different beasts. What can't differ, however, is how they are assessed when it comes to funding, writes David Leggat.

Freestyle skier Jossi Wells has just missed out on winning New Zealand's second ever Winter Olympics medal with a fourth in the halfpipe event at Sochi.

Our Winter Olympians are a hard lot to get behind, writes Dana Johannsen. Given NZ's modest record, the team went to Sochi with very few expectations from the public.

Triumph made sweeter as twin brothers take gold, bronze in 500m race in Sochi.

Kiwi snowboarder causes a stir at Sochi after looking for romance via Tinder dating app.

Vladimir Putin did not need to try to steal the limelight when this Olympic show, the most expensive the world has ever seen, was all his.

Hell hath no fury like a journalist scorned and with the finishing touches still in the realm of fantasy, the criticism of Olympic authorities has been loud and scathing, writes Scotty Stevenson.

In Sochi, there is plenty on the Russian President's to-do list as he bustles about town, preparing for the opening of his Olympic Games.

Had she not been blessed with a healthy dose of the give-it-a-go philosophy, Katharine Eustace would never have got to the Winter Olympics.

Rod Emmerson's take on Vladimir Putin's law change.

Just when the gay rights controversies were threatening to overshadow the upcoming Winter Olympics.

French tyro Alexis Pinturault used all his slalom expertise to comprehensively win yesteray's World Cup super-combined to mark himself out as a medal favourite.