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)
