Olympic Highlights

The Greeks didn’t have Winter Olympics (which began in 1924 with International Sports Week in Chamonix, France) because they competed in the nude. That year, 258 athletes from 16 nations competed in events in six sports.

Facts you may not know, but would like to:

Sixteenth-century Scots played a game called curling, which was played on frozen ponds in Scotland, as far back as 1541.

The Dutch added metal to their shoes in the 16th century and figure skating and speed skating were born.

In 1767, soldiers in Norway and Sweden challenged each other in skiing and shooting, the first organized biathlon.

Canadian students invented hockey in the 1870’s.

In 1924, military squads completed in the biathlon and the sport officially became part of the 1960 Games.

The 2006 Games, which open February 10 in Turin, Italy, will have 84 events, drawing 2,500 athletes from 85 national Olympic Committees.