X-Nico

5 unusual facts about Winter Olympic Games


Bulgaria at the Olympics

Bulgaria first participated in the Winter Olympic Games in 1936, and has attended every Winter Games since then.

Dutch Robinson

In 2010, he performed in the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada.

My Best Friend, General Vasili, Son of Joseph Stalin

Vsevolod Bobrov excelled in both football (soccer) and ice hockey, and led the Soviet ice hockey team to victory in the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, earning himself an Olympic Gold Medal.

Pontiac Torrent

For the 2008 model year, the Torrent gets the Podium Edition trim for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Sport in Burkina Faso

No athletes from Burkina Faso have competed in any Winter Olympic Games.


2014 Russian Figure Skating Championships

The results are among the criteria used to select Russia's teams sent to the 2014 European, the World Championships, and the Winter Olympic Games.

Arturo Kinch

Arturo Kinch (born 15 April 1956) is a customer service representative for United Airlines who has won fame for his inspiring performances as Costa Rica's only skier in Winter Olympic Games history, most recently as a 49-year-old cross-country skier in the 2006 XX Olympic Winter Games.

Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics

Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses.

Bruce Parramore

In 1994, he was hired as the Chief Visual Artist and Conceptualizer to work, with Stage Director Bentein Baardson and Scenographer Kristian Alsaker, in creating the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games of Lillehammer in 1994.

Canadian Olympic Curling Trials

The Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, known as the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings since 2005 for sponsorship reasons, occur every four years, in the year preceding the Winter Olympic Games.

Country changes in figure skating

There are many different reasons why competitors switch countries, but it mostly comes down to maximizing the possibility of being able to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships and the Winter Olympic Games.

Croatian Olympic Committee

The COC organizes Croatia's representatives at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Curling at the Winter Olympics

Curling was included in the program of the inaugural Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix.

Dietmar Schauerhammer

Dietmar Schauerhammer (born 12 August 1955; Neustadt an der Orla, Thuringia) is an East German two-time Winter Olympic champion, pentathlete, decathlete and bob pusher for six-time World champion, two-time Olympic champion, four-time European champion, two-time German champion and five-time GDR champion Wolfgang Hoppe who competed during the 1980s.

Disabled skiing at the Winter Olympics

Disabled skiing was a demonstration event at the Winter Olympic Games on two occasions, in 1984 and 1988.

Egypt at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Egypt competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time (and as of 2010, only time) at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Gillis Grafström

Together with Eddie Eagan he is the only athlete to have won a gold medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, having the further distinction of being the only person to have won an individual gold medal in both the Summer (1920) and Winter Olympics (1924, 1928), although Eagan remains the only one to have managed the feat in different disciplines.

Groen Hawk 4

In 2002, the Winter Olympic Games contracted with GBA to provide aerial security over Salt Lake International Airport.

Irving Dardik

As a result, Dr. George Goodheart was sent to the XIIIth Winter Olympic Games, in Lake Placid, NY and a Volunteer Doctor Program for DC's at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs was begun.

Japan at the 1956 Winter Olympics

Chiharu Igaya won the nation's first ever medal and the first ever Asian champion at the Winter Olympic Games.

John Deere snowmobiles

In 1980, John Deere was the official supplier of snowmobiles for the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.

Lithuania at the 1992 Winter Olympics

It was the first time since 1928 that the nation had competed as an independent nation at the Winter Olympic Games.

Monaco at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Monaco competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Montenegrin Olympic Committee

The MOC organizes the country's representatives at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games as well as at smaller events such as the Mediterranean Games.

New Zealand at the 1992 Winter Olympics

Annelise Coberger won the nation's first medal (and the first medal by a competitor from the Southern Hemisphere) at the Winter Olympic Games in the women's slalom event.

Puerto Rico at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Puerto Rico competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Senegal at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Senegal competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.


see also

Ahuja

Neha Ahuja (born 1980), first Indian woman to qualify for the Winter Olympic Games and participate in the 2006 Olympics.

Camille Muffat

She thus equalled Laure Manaudou's 2004 Olympics achievement of one gold, one silver and one bronze and also became only the third Frenchwoman after Micheline Ostermeyer and Manaudou to win three medals in a single summer or winter Olympic Games.

Claude C. Robinson

He managed the Canadian team at the 1932 Winter Olympic games, which were played at Lake Placid, New York.

Gutta på tur

Gutta på tur (roughly translates as "The Boys on a Trip") was a Norwegian travel-TV show starring Arne Hjeltnes, Arne Brimi (famous chef), and professional cross-country skiers Vegard Ulvang and Bjørn Dæhlie, the most-winning athlete in the history of the Winter Olympic Games.

Kira Ivanova

While she had won numerous medals at international events, such as World Junior Championships, Enia Challenge Cup, and Moscow News Trophy, her true breakthrough on the international skating scene came with a bronze medal at the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Kraushaar

Silke Kraushaar-Pielach, a German luger who won medals in three consecutive Winter Olympic games

MLX

MLX Skates, a brand of high performance ice hockey skates introduced at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Own the Podium

Tabloid columnist Martin Samuel blamed the program for the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, a luge athlete from Georgia who died on the opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Plans for Olympic Winter Games held in Barcelona

Jordi Hereu i Boher, the Mayor of Barcelona, announced on January 13, 2010 the intention of nominating Barcelona as organizer of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

RBC Olympians

Steven Elm, Speedskating, Silver Medal (Team Pursuit): 2006 Winter Olympic Games (Torino), Former World Record Holder: Team Pursuit (2005/2006) and 3000m (2000–2001)

Dominique Maltais, Snowboarding (Snowboard Cross), Bronze Medal: 2006 Winter Olympic Games (Torino), Gold Medal: 2006 World Cup (Austria)

Jayna Hefford, Ice Hockey, Gold Medal: 2006 Winter Olympic Games (Torino), Gold Medal: 2002 Winter Olympic Games (Salt Lake City)

Jennifer Botterill, Ice Hockey, Gold Medal: 2006 Winter Olympic Games (Torino), Gold Medal: 2002 Winter Olympic Games (Salt Lake City), Silver Medal: 1998 Winter Olympic Games (Nagano)

Remsen, New York

Erin Hamlin-- Represented Team USA in women's singles luge at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.

San Diego Figure Skating Club

Longtime coach Yuri Ovchinnikov is on a four-year assignment with the Russian Olympic Committee in preparation for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

The United States Army Field Band

The Kennedy Center Honors, the 1995 Presidential Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of V-J Day, the 40th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, the National Memorial Day Concert, the state funerals of Presidents Reagan and Ford, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games are some examples of high-profile appearances by the Army Field Band.