Vancouver has been awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics after a secret vote by International Olympic Committee members.

The Canadians on Wednesday beat off bids from South Korea's Pyeongchang and the Austrian city of Salzburg to win the right to stage the winter sports extravaganza after two rounds of voting.

Salzburg was eliminated after placing last of the three candidates in the first round. Vancouver beat Pyeongchang in the second ballot.

Vancouver's "Sea to Sky" bid had been praised early on by the IOC's evaluation commission for its clear vision for the Olympics that would leave a good post-Games legacy.

The early favourite, Vancouver stayed in front throughout to bring the Games to Canada for the first time since the 1988 Calgary Olympics.