From Chamonix to Salt Lake City Looking back on great moments from Winter Olympic history 1924 Chamonix, France Initially organized as an International Winter Sports Week, the Gaines at Chamonix were not officially recognized as the first Winter Olympics by the International Olympic Com mittee until 1925. Five sports were represented Nordic skiing, figure skat ing, speed skating, bob sled and hockey. Canada established its. as hockey champions by wi ning the gold in the first fot Winter Olympics. Anders Haugen (United States) was logged in as cc ing in fourth in the ski jum) but a calculation error dis covered in 1974 showed ht really placed third. At age 83, Haugen was awarded his bronze medal. Charles Jewtraw ► usoc archives (United States) won the United States’ only gold medal in the 500-meter speed skating event. 1928 St. Moritz, Switzerland The second Winter Olympics used the facili ties of an established ski resort. It also was the first time since World War I that Germans were admitted back into any Olympic competition. The Games at St. Moritz were the only time that bobsled teams could have five men instead of four. The United States placed first and sec ond in the event. At age 15, Sonja Henie (Norway) won the first of three consecutive gold medals in figure skating. 1932 Lake Placid, United States Due to the Depression, turnout was low, with only 17 nations participating. Half of the athletes were from the United States or Canada. Dog sledding was included as a demonstration sport. John Shea (United States) won golds in the 500-meter and 1,500-meter speed skating events. The U .S. bobsled team captured gold for the second time in a row. Team member Eddie Ea gan became the only person to win: a gold medal in both the Winter alnd Summer Olympics. He already had a gold in boxing from the 1920 Summer Games. 1936 Garmisch-Partenldrchen, Germany The Germans saw these Winter Games as a prelude to the Summer Games in Berlin. An at tempt by German emigrants in the United States for a national boycott foiled. Ivan Brown and Alan Washbond (Unit ed States) won gold in the two-man bobsled. Great Britain’s hockey team toppled the Canadian hold on gold. ◄Sonja Henie (Nor way) won her third consecutive gold medal, making her the most successful indi vidual woman figure skater. USOC ARCHIVES 1940 The Games were scheduled to be held in Sap poro, Japan, but war with China caused Japan to pull out. Germany volunteered, but World War II forced cancellation of the Winter Olympics until 1948. 1948 St Moritz, Switzerland The popularity of Alpine skiing increased and slalom and downhill events were added. The winter pentathlon (cross-country skiing, down hill skiing, fencing, shooting and horse riding)was held as a demonstration sport and was not successful. It’s America’s time to shine in the international spotlight Much has been made opportunity to improve its image by being the most are hosts, and the Olympics are not an American to change their attitudes to one of tolerance for every about the Olympics and the gracious host around. sporting event but a world one. It’s good that we cheer other culture, religion, race, etc. If we are open to extreme measures taken to America can gain numerous brownie points, for our team, but players from other countries should others, then there’s a good chance others will be Hi ensure the safety of especially in Europe, if it avoids any sort of trouble not be taunted, booed, or shown hatred in any way. open to us. MM everyone with foreign athletes. We certainly don’t want Americans have to cheer for them and make them This doesn’t mean that we can’t use the Olympics Personal foul involved, everyone to go home and begin telling stories of how feel welcomed. We want foreign athletes to be able as a way of picking up our spirits. We just need to Kf . ... u ii In fact, America treated them poorly or how we disrespected to enjoy themselves here. realize that there are many other people who suffer W Mike Bello , h . fnp „ e ’ these ath i e tes in any way. With so many different The Olympics are not meant to celebrate all that is hardships everyday 100 times worse than what Ik sports editor j n the countries relying on their players for a firsthand look America, yet I get this strange feeling that’s exactly we’ve got through the past few months. The media so at what America is like, we can begin baby steps to what will occur. All you will see in Salt Lake City is Olympics can’t help them solve their problems. far has show how dignified we can be. Red, White, and Blue, which in the international Those countries probably don’t send athletes to the been as much on security It seems lately that the support we had built up for community will make us look like we are arrogant, winter games. What they can do is rally the world measures as the actual sports. I’m not downplaying our fight against terrorism is slipping. Europe was up The true meaning of the Olympics is to celebrate the together under a common cause - ridding the world this topic as much ado about nothing, because there in arms over Guantanamo Bay and is concerned that international community coming together, not the of evil and the underlying roots of it. is no time like the present when security is highly America is keeping it in the dark about the war on glory of one country excelling over the rest. The next few weeks will be exciting times, as important. terrorism. Now, the Olympic games cannot change If we can accomplish this, and paint ourselves m many memorable moments will forever be etched But there is one key Olympic theme that nearly the riffs created; it is only a sporting competition, not the best light possible, then other countries might be into our minds. But the whole world is watching, evervone has forgotten. In the face of growing politics. But it can change the impressions Europeans willing to give more support to the war. In essence, and now’s not the time to be rude, bad-mannered, opposition to evening the U. S. is doing on a and others have towaids us. you could call the Olympics a sort of PR for America, disrespectful, or anything else that will tarnish a global scale, the country is presented with a prime First and foremost, Americans have to realize we But in order for it to be successful, Americans have good image. Henri Oreiller (France) won two golds and one bronze in Alpine skiing and was the most successful athlete of the 1948 Winter Games. Barbara Ann Scott (Canada) became the first North American to win a gold in figure skating. Gretchen Fraser (United States) captured gold in the women’s slalom, the United States’ first skiing medal. 1952 >, Norway :rmany and Japan were allowed to compete , first time since World War 11. The Oslo iames marked the first time the Olympics were held in a Scandinavian country. i Andrea Mead (United States) was vic torious in the slalom and giant slalom, be ig the first U.S. athlete to win two golds in ter Olympics. lalmar Andersen (Norway) won golds in iOO-meter, 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter jkating events. Richard Button (United States) won his sec ond gold and was the first to perform a triple jump in the figure skating competition. 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy An Italian television station provided the first Winter Olympic live coverage. “Eurovision” al lowed parts of central Europe to watch competi tion. The United States swept the men’s figure skating competition. Gold went to Hayes Alan Jenkins, silver to Ronald Robertson and bronze to David Jenkins, younger brother of Hayes. Toni Sailer (Austria) won three gold medals in Alpine skiing. The new Soviet hockey team T upset Canada in the finals and took the gold undefeated. 1960 Squaw Valley, United States The opening and closing ceremonies were stage-managed by Walt Disney, chairman of the Olympic Pageantry Committee. South Africa was represented for the first and last time until 1994. Figure skating events moved indoors. The U.S. hockey team defeated Canada and captured gold for the first time. Georg Thoma (Germany) became the first non-Scandinavian to win the Nordic combined. Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul (Canada) won the gold in pairs figure skating. 1964 Innsbruck, Austria ◄ Udia Skoblikova (U.S.S.R.) captured all the golds in women’s speed skating. Ortun Enderlein usoc archives (Germany) won gold in the first women’s Olympic luge event. 1968 Grenoble, France For the first time there were two separate German teams competing in an Olympics. A Special Supplement to the Behrend Beacon 2002 WINTER GAMES: HISTORY UBOC ARCHIVES Computers helped officials time and judge events. Mild weather prompted the Austrian military to truck in snow. Luge made its Olympic de but. Peggy Fleming (United States) took home the gold in women’s figure skating. U.S. speed skaters Mary Meyers, Dianne Holum and Jennifer Fish triple-tied for silver in the 500-meter event. ◄ Jean-Claude Killy (France), the host coun try’s favorite son, won usoc archives gold medals in all three Alpine skiing events. The Games were dubbed the “Killympics.” 1972 Sapporo, Japan The Sapporo Games were the first Winter Olympics held outside of Europe and the United States. They also marked the first time all three medals in one discipline were won by a non-Eu ropean country (Japan, in the normal hill ski jump). Galina Kulakova (U.S.S.R.) captured three gold medals in women’s cross-country skiing. Speed skater Dianne Holum (United States) won a gold (1,500 meters) and silver (3,000 me ters). She would later coach Eric Heiden to the 1976 and 1980 Olympics. Barbara Cochran (United States) won the gold in the women’s slalom by two-hundredths of a second. 1976 Innsbruck, Austria The Games were originally awarded to Denver but later nixed by Colorado voters. Innsbruck used existing facilities from the 1964 Games. Speed skater Sheila Young (United States) ► captured gold, silver and bronze medals, making her the first U.S. athlete to win three medals at a single Win ter Olympics. Franz Klammer (Austria) won gold in down hill siding. Ice dancing made its Olympic debut. Ludmil la Pakhomava and Alexander Gorshkow (U.S.S.R.) took the first gold medal. 1980 Lake Placid, United States The second Lake Placid Games marked the first use of ar tificial snow in Olympic compe tition. ◄ Eric Holden (United States) won five gold medals in speed skating. Alexander Saizev and Irina Rodnina CLEM MURRAY/KRT „ , o o r. \ (U.S.S.R.) won gold in pairs figure skating. It was her third con secutive gold medal. The U.S. hockey “Dream Team” defeated the Soviets, who had taken gold since 1964. Ulrich Wehing (East Germany) garnered his third consecutive gold medal in the Nordic com bined. 1984 Sarajevo,Yugoslavia It was the first and only time the Olympics were held in a Socialist country. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (Great Britain) scored the first perfect scores in ice dancing and won the gold. Scott Hamilton (United States) took the gold medal in figure skating. Phil Mahre and his brother, Steve, (United States) placed first and second in the slalom event. 1986 lOC voted to have the Summer and Winter Olympics in different years starting in 1994. The Games would be held alternately every two years, with the Winter Games in the same years as soccer’s World Cup 1988 Calgary, Canada For the first time since 1968, demonstration sports (curling, si track speed skating and freestyle ing) were included. Speed skatir events were moved indoors. Alberto Tornba (Italy) took t\ gold medals in the men’s slalom. Matti Nykanen (Finland) woi gold in all three ski jump events. Bonnie Blair (United States), captured the first of three conseci five gold medals in the 500-metf speed skating event. 1992 Albertville, France Germany was once again represented by one team. The Russian republics, with the exception of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, competed on a Unified Team. Nordic skier Lyubov Yegorova (Unified Team) won three golds and two silvers, making her the most successful female athlete in Al bertville. World champion Kristi Yamaguchi (United States) garnered the gold medal in women’s fig ure skating. Pairs figure skaters Artur Dmitriev and Na talya Mishkutenok (Unified Team) captured the gold. 1994 Lillehammer, Norway The South African team returned after 34 years. Each Russian republic had its own team. Johann Koss (Norway) garnered three gold medals in speed skating and set a world record in each event. Speed skater Bonnie Blair (United States) won two gold medals for a grand total of five, making her the most successful U.S. female winter athlete. Drama lingered in the women’s figure skat ing competition as Nancy Kerrigan faced her U.S. teammate Tonya Harding, who was investi gated for plotting to disable Kerrigan prior to the Games. Ukraine’s Oksana Baiul took home the gold medal and Kerrigan the silver. 1998 Nagano, Japan The Olympics returned to Japan after 26 years. Three sports curling, snowboarding and women’s hockey made their medal de but. For the first time, the NHL suspended its season to allow the best professional players to participate in the Games. The Japanese ski-jumping team won four medals, includ ing a gold in the team event. < Hermann Maier (Austria) won the gold in both the giant and super giant slalom after recovering from a crash in the MIKE SEGAR/KRT downhill. Cross-country skier Bjom Daehlie (Norway) won three golds and one silver, giving him an unprecedented 12 total and eight gold Winter Olympic medals for his career. 2002 Salt Lake City, United States Salt Lake City, which has sought to host the Winter Gaines since 1972, was selected over Quebec (Canada), Sion (Switzerland) and Oster sund (Sweden). More than 2,500 athletes from 80 countries will flock to the capital of Utah for the 2002 Winter Olympics against a backdrop of deep concern about international terrorism. More than 5,000 law-enforcement officers from 60 local, state and federal agencies will be in Salt Lake City for the Games.
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