Date: 8-23 February 1992
NOCs (Nations): 64
Athletes: 1,801 (488 women, 1,313 men)
Sports: 7
Events: 57
Volunteers: 8,647
Media: 5,894 (2,271 written press, 3,623 broadcasters)
The 1992 Albertville Olympic Games were the last Winter Games to
be staged in the same year as the Summer Games. Only 18 of the 57
events were held in Albertville of France itself, while nearby
resorts hosted the rest. Freestyle skiing and short-track speed
skating made their debuts as medal disciplines, as did women’s
biathlon. Norwegian skiers won every cross-country skiing race, as
Bjorn Daehlie and Vegard Ulvang each won three gold medals.
Speedskater Bonnie Blair won the 500 and 1,000m events, while Gunda
Niemann took both of the longest races. At age 16, ski jumper Toni
Nieminen became the youngest male winner of a Winter event. Earning
two golds and one silver, Mark Kirchner became the first biathlete
to win medals in all three biathlon events. Alpine skier Petra
Kronberger won both the combined event and the slalom. Kim Ki-hoon
earned gold medals in both short-track events.
Sending 33 athletes to the Albertville Winter Olympic Games,
China saw Ye Qiaobo clinch the country's first winter Olympics
medal, a silver, in women's 500m speed skating. Ye then took her
second silver in the women's 1,000m speed skating and Li Yan added
another silver for China in women's 500m short-track speed skating,
which entered the official programme for the first time.
(COC Website?? July 8, 2004)