XXV Summer Olympic Games were held in Barcelona from July 25 to August 9, 1992.
City selection
For the right to accept summer Olympics 1992 Barcelona, home to the then president of the IOC, rivaled Paris, Brisbane, Belgrade, Birmingham and Amsterdam.
Initially, the capital of Catalonia was considered a favorite. This was confirmed during the voting, when Barcelona in all rounds was almost twice ahead of its closest competitor - Paris. As a result, at the 91st session of the IOC on October 17, 1986, it was announced that Barcelona would become the capital of the XXV Summer Olympic Games.
Juan Antonio Samaranch takes part in the Olympic torch relay
Mascot
The puppy was of an indeterminate breed, although, according to the official version, it is a Catalan Shepherd Dog. The dissimilarity of Kobe with his prototype is explained by the fact that its creator, firstly, professed Cubism, and secondly, by his own admission, he drew a talisman while in a state of drug intoxication.
By the way, Kobe the puppy was recognized as the most elegantly dressed mascot: he was wearing a dark blue suit and tie.
At the closing ceremony of the Games, the Barcelona mascot, as well as, was launched into the sky in a balloon.
Symbolism
A very ambitious project was developed by the Barcelona Olympic Organizing Committee, which included 58 different posters, grouped into four collections: official Olympic posters, art posters, designer posters and photographic posters depicting various sports.
On the official emblem of the Games, designed by Jose Maria Trias from Barcelona, depicts the figure of a man jumping over the barrier, which is the 5 Olympic rings.
The opening ceremony
The opening ceremony took place on 25 July 1992 at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc in Barcelona. An estimated over 2 billion viewers watched the opening ceremony.
The main leitmotif of the colorful show of the ceremony was the founding of the city of Barcelona, as well as the exploits of the legendary founder of Barcelona - Hercules. Two main musical themes were written especially for the opening of the 1992 Games. One of them was the composition "Barcelona", which was sung as a duet Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe... They were supposed to perform this song at the opening ceremony, but due to the death of Mercury 8 months before the Olympics, a duet was recorded during the opening of the Games. Another theme song for the Barcelona Games was "Amigos Para Siempre" (Friends for Life), by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black, and performed by Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras... The artists performed it live.
Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe - Barcelona
After the end of the parade of athletes, speeches were made by the President of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch and the President of the Organizing Committee of the Games. King of spain Juan Carlos I officially declared the Games open. The Olympic flag was raised to the music of the Olympic anthem.
The Olympic Flame was effectively lit by a Spanish Paralympian archer Antonio Reboglio shooting a burning arrow into the bowl from the center of the stadium.
The traditional oath was taken by the judges and the athletes - the famous Spanish yachtsman did it from the athletes. Luis Doreste, from the judges - Eugeni Asensio.
Joint team
In 1991, the USSR collapsed. The time remaining before the Games of the Olympics did not allow the newly formed independent states on its territory to carry out all the formalities associated with the creation of an NOC and the submission of applications for participation in the Games. Therefore, the former republics of the USSR were forced, in accordance with a special decision of the International Olympic Committee, to act as a united team of the Commonwealth of Independent States - OK CIS. Independent teams were only Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, whose membership in the International Olympic Committee, interrupted on the eve of World War II, was restored immediately after the collapse of the USSR.
The unified team competed at the Games under the Olympic flag, the official abbreviation of the team in the competition protocols was the letters EUN (from the French Équipe Unifiée - United Team). On Winter Games the Olympic flag was raised at the awards ceremony for the representatives of the United Team, the Olympic anthem sounded in honor of the victories; on Summer Games the ceremony was held similarly in team competitions, however, at the awards ceremony in individual competitions, the national flag of the athlete's country was raised, in honor of the victories the anthem of his state sounded.
At the opening ceremony of the Games, representatives of each delegation of the United Team walked under their national flags, but walked together
The Joint Team at the Winter Games included representatives from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. They won 9 gold, 6 silver and 8 bronze medals.
Participants of the Joint Team at the Summer Games were 12 states of the former USSR. Athletes from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, who formed their national teams, could also play in the Joint Team - for example, representatives of Latvia took part in the men's basketball team.
Unofficially, the United Team was often called the "CIS national team", which is inaccurate - Georgia became a part of the CIS only in 1993.
The flag of the United Team with the Olympic rings depicted on it at the opening ceremony, both at the past Games in, and in future ones, was carried by the famous national wrestler Alexander Karelin... Thus, Alexander established a unique achievement - he was the standard-bearer of the national team at three Olympics and at all three carried different flags (Soviet, United Team and Russian). By the way, at these three Olympics, Karelin then invariably won gold medals.
After the end of the Games in Barcelona, the team ceased to exist; already at the end of 1992, representatives of the states of the former USSR were acting as independent teams.
Experts who made their predictions just before the Games predicted a landslide victory for the US team. For the second place, in their opinion, athletes from Germany and the CIS had to fight. However, these predictions were not destined to come true: the athletes of the United Team confidently won the victory, having won 112 medals - 45 gold, 38 silver, 29 bronze. In the absence of the GDR, US athletes managed to become the second, having won 108 medals - 37 gold, 34 silver, 37 bronze, and the third were German athletes who won 82 medals - 33 gold, 21 silver, 28 bronze.
The main contribution to the success of the united CIS team was made by athletes, swimmers, shooters, gymnasts, wrestlers and weightlifters.
Of particular note is the outstanding result of a gymnast from Belarus Vitalia Shcherbo who won 6 gold medals. The 20-year-old gymnast from Minsk went down in history with his victories at the Olympic competitions. He received his first gold medal as part of the CIS United Team, which won in team championship... He earned the next one in the individual championship, showing excellent skill, and becoming the undisputed champion.
And on August 2, Shcherbo took part in competitions on separate apparatus. He won the uneven bars, vault, rings and finished first in the pommel. Vitaly became the first person in Olympic history who won 4 gold medals in one day. Shcherbo was also the first gymnast to receive six gold medals in one Olympics.
He also took part in the Games in 1996 and earned four bronze medals: in the absolute championship, on the parallel bar and in the vault.
Swimmers of Russia performed brilliantly: 3 gold medals Evgeniya Sadovoy and 2 - Alexandra Popova became a sensation in the swimming competition.
In Barcelona, the famous Russian swimmer Alexander Popov won his first Olympic medals - 2 gold and 2 silver
Closing ceremony
The closing ceremony of the XXV Summer Olympic Games was held according to the standard scenario.
First, a colorful show followed. Then, delegations from all participating countries appeared at the stadium.
After the IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch congratulated Barcelona and all of Spain on the successful hosting of the Games and traditionally called them the best in history.
The Olympic flag was lowered from the flagpole, then the Olympic flame was extinguished. The closing ceremony of the Games ended with fireworks.
From 8 to 23 February 1992 - the XVI Winter Olympic Games were held in Albertville (France). A total of 1,804 athletes (including 492 women), representing the NOCs of 65 countries, arrived - a record number of participants in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. Medals were awarded in 57 sets of medals in 12 sports. For the first time, sets of awards were played in 15 types of competitions: women in biathlon (7.5 km, 1 and relay 3 x 7.5 km), in cross-country skiing 30 km (instead of the previous 20 km race), in freestyle (mogul) , short track (1000 and 5000 m), ski jumping from a 120-meter springboard (instead of a 70-meter one), curling. Acrobatics and ballet in freestyle and speed skiing were included as demonstrative numbers of the program (both male and female). The change in the political situation in the world could not but affect the balance of power in the international sports arena. In connection with the unification, Germany was represented by a single team.
The games were held two months after the USSR ceased to exist as a single state. Questions immediately arose about the composition of the team, its financing, recruiting, preparation and participation in the Games. Finally, after lengthy discussions and negotiations, it was decided that the Olympic team of the former USSR will act as a united team of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) under the Olympic flag. In honor of the winners and prize-winners from the CIS team, the Olympic flag was also to be raised. The CIS team did not have a guarantee cash contribution to make it to the French NOC for participation in the Games, as well as to send it to Albertville. In the end, problems that had never arisen before were resolved, and the team of the former USSR ended up at the Games.
Athletes from Norway achieved outstanding success in cross-country skiing for men: they were the first at all distances, in the 4x10 km relay, they received five gold medals. The hero of the Games was the Norwegian skier Vegard Ulvang, who was awarded three gold and one silver medals. Among women, the athletes from the CIS team performed most successfully, who managed to win three gold medals. The most striking was the performance of L. Egorova, who won two gold medals in the individual championship and one in the 4x5 km relay.
In biathlon, three gold medals went to German athletes (10 km race for men, men's 4x7.5 km relay, 15 km race for women), two - athletes from the CIS team (7.5 km race for women and 20 km for men) and one (women's 3x7.5 km relay) awards were received by athletes from France.
In speed skating, the German athletes had a clear advantage. The most successful was G. Neiman, who won two gold (3000 and 5000 m) and one silver medal (1500 m). Athletes from the United States and Norway each got two gold medals.
V figure skating on skates, three gold medals went to the athletes of the CIS team. To the already traditional victories in pair skating and ice dancing, was added gold medal in single skating among men, won by the Ukrainian athlete V. Petrenko.
Photo: AFP
A difficult situation has developed in ice hockey competitions. The composition of the participants turned out to be fairly even. The CIS team was staffed with young little-known players, as all the leading players went overseas to play for various professional NHL clubs. As a result of the preliminary competition, in which 12 teams took part, the teams from the USA, Sweden, Canada and the CIS managed to make their way to the semifinals. The athletes of the CIS hockey team unexpectedly easily outplayed the leader of the first preliminary group in the semifinals of the leader of the first preliminary group, the US team (5: 2), and in the final, the Canadians (3: 1).
The team championship was won by German athletes - 26 medals (10, 10, 6, respectively) and 181 points in the unofficial team event. The second place was taken by the athletes of the CIS team, who received 23 medals (9, 6, 8) and 163 points. These results were quite natural and were not unexpected either for specialists or for winter sports enthusiasts. The third place of the Norwegian Olympians - 193 points and 20 medals (9, 6, 5) was a sensation of the Games.
Information provided by the Russian Olympic Committee.
Presented sports
Biathlon
Bobsled
Skiing
Skating
Ski nordic
Ski race
Ski jumping
Luge
Short track
Figure skating
Freestyle
Hockey
Demonstration views
Freestyle acrobatics and ballet
Speedskiing
On XVI Winter Olympic Games 1804 athletes arrived in Albertville, including 492 women, representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of 65 countries. This was a record number of participants in the entire history of the Winter Olympics.
The competition program was also a record. Medals were played in 57 kinds of competitions in 12 kinds of sports. For the first time, sets of awards were played in 15 types of competitions: women in biathlon - 7.5 km, 15 km and relay race 3 x 7.5 km; in cross-country skiing for 30 km, instead of the previous race for 20 km; in freestyle - mogul; short track distances of 1000 and 5000 m; in ski jumping from a 120-meter springboard instead of a 70-meter one; in curling.
Acrobatics and ballet in freestyle and speed skiing were included as demonstrative numbers of the program, both for men and women. 1992 Olympic Games convincingly demonstrated the ever-increasing popularity of winter sports. Only in comparison with the previous Olympics in Calgary, the number of participating countries increased by 12, the number of athletes - by 123. There were about 7 thousand representatives of the media - one and a half times more than in Calgary, four times more than athletes. Two new sports have appeared - short track and freestyle, and the number of competitions has increased by 11.
The change in the political situation in the world could not but affect the balance of power in the international sports arena. In connection with the unification, Germany was represented by a single team. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, athletes from the GDR and FRG won a total of 33 medals - 11 gold, 14 silver, 8 bronze, and 235 points in the unofficial team event. Therefore, there was every reason to think that the German Olympians would take first place in the team struggle.
The Olympic Games in Albertville were held two months after the USSR ceased to exist as a single state. Questions immediately arose about the status of the team, its funding, recruiting, preparation and participation in the Olympics. Finally, after lengthy discussions and negotiations, it was decided that the Olympic team of the former USSR will act as a united team of the Commonwealth of Independent States - CIS under the Olympic flag. In honor of the winners and prize-winners from the CIS team, the Olympic flag was also to be raised. The CIS team did not have a guarantee cash contribution to make it to the French NOC for participation in the Olympic Games, as well as to send it to Albertville. In the end, these problems, which had never arisen before, were resolved and the team of the former USSR ended up at the 1992 Olympics.
The results of the Olympic Games reflected the intensification of competition in winter sports in the international sports arena. Compared to the 1988 Games in Calgary, the number of countries whose athletes managed to win gold medals increased from 11 to 14. Among the medalists were athletes from 20 countries, while at the previous Games there were 17 athletes. countries that have never had achievements in winter sports - the Republic of Korea, Spain, Italy, New Zealand.
Many outstanding athletes were invited to the Olympic Games in Albertville, who have written glorious pages in the history of the Winter Olympics. Among them was a two-time Olympic champion Lake Placid 1932 Speed Skating Jack shi, which was 84 years old. First Olympic champion of the Winter Olympics Charles Jutrow, who was in his 95th year, could not attend this meeting.
The athletes of Norway achieved outstanding success in cross-country skiing among men: they were the first at all distances, in the 4x10 km relay, they received five gold medals. The hero of the 1992 Olympics was the Norwegian skier Vegard Ulvang, who was awarded three gold and one silver medals. Among women, the athletes from the CIS team performed most successfully, who managed to win three gold medals. The most striking performance was the performance of Lyubov Egorova, who won two gold medals in the individual championship and one in the 4 × 5 km relay. With pretty good results Italian skiers finished the competition. For example, Stefania Belmondo was the winner in the 30 km race. In addition, the Italians won 5 silver and bronze medals.
In biathlon, three gold medals went to German athletes - a 10 km race for men, a men's 4 × 7.5 km relay, a 15 km race for women, two medals for athletes from the CIS team - a 7.5 km race for women and 20 km for men, and one award, in the women's relay 3 × 7.5 km, was received by athletes from France.
In speed skating, the German athletes had a clear advantage. To the two gold medals won by men at distances of 500 m and 1000 m, women managed to add three more. The most successful was Gunda Niman, who won two gold medals at distances of 3000 m and 5000 m, and one silver medal at a distance of 1500 m. Athletes from the USA and Norway each got two gold medals.
In 10 types of competitions in alpine skiing, gold medals were distributed as follows: Austria - 3, Italy - 3, Norway - 2, Sweden - 1, Canada - 1. The real sensation of the competition was the sharpest struggle between representatives of the Alpine countries and the Olympians of Norway, Sweden, Canada ...
In men's short track speed skating, both gold medals were won by athletes from the Republic of Korea.
In figure skating, three gold medals went to the athletes of the CIS team. To the already traditional victories in pair skating and ice dancing, a gold medal in single skating among men, won by Ukrainian athlete Viktor Petrenko, was added.
In the men's luge competition, the first two places were taken by German athletes. Doris Neuner, an athlete from the Austrian team, won gold among women.
The crews of Switzerland (two) and Austria (four) won gold medals among bobsledders.
A difficult situation has developed in ice hockey competitions. The composition of the participants turned out to be fairly even. The CIS team was staffed with young little-known players, as all the leading players went overseas to play for various professional NHL clubs. As a result of preliminary competitions, in which 12 teams took part, teams from the USA, Sweden, Canada and the CIS managed to make their way to the semifinals. The athletes of the CIS hockey team unexpectedly easily outplayed the leader of the first preliminary group in the semifinals of the leader of the first preliminary group, the US team with a score of 5: 2, and in the final, the Canadians with a score of 3: 1.
The Olympic Games in Albertville, perhaps like none of the previous ones, were replete with surprises and surprises, unpredictable results in many types of competitions. The matter was not limited to the success of the representatives of the Nordic countries in alpine skiing, and Italy in cross-country skiing. A no less surprise was the success of the "flying skiers" from Austria, who won 4 out of 6 medals, and the sisters Doris and Angelika Neuner, who won. The success of the French biathletes in the relay did not go unnoticed - first place, as well as the appearance among the winners of the Winter Olympic Games of representatives of China in speed skating, New Zealand and Spain in alpine skiing.
The team championship was won by German athletes who won 26 medals - 10 gold, 10 silver, 6 bronze and 181 points in the unofficial team event. The second place was taken by the athletes of the CIS team, who received 163 points and 23 medals - 9 gold, 6 silver, 8 bronze. These results were quite natural and were not unexpected either for specialists or for winter sports enthusiasts. The third place of the Norwegian Olympians, who won 193 points and 20 medals - 9 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze, was a sensation of the Winter Olympic Games. After all, Norway has long lost its former glory as a power in winter sports and was content with modest results: in 1988, 42 points and 5 medals - 3 silver and 2 bronze; in 1984 71 points and 9 medals - 3 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze; in 1980 72 points and 10 medals - 1 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze, and in 1976 50.5 points and 7 medals - 3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze. The significant increase in the performance of athletes in Norway in recent years is primarily due to two factors. The first of these is undoubtedly the rich tradition of winter sports in this country. An excellent material base, the popularity of winter sports among the population, the availability of good specialists, naturally, create favorable preconditions for the training of outstanding athletes. However, the practice of the 70s-80s showed that these factors were not enough in the absence of a harmonious system of training the most talented athletes. Already in the first half of the 1980s, Norwegian specialists became convinced that it would not be possible to regain leading positions in winter sports without changing the organizational and methodological foundations of training the strongest athletes. As noted by the President of the NOC of Norway, Arne Mürwald, after an unsuccessful performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics, it was decided to abandon the approach that previously existed in Norway to the training of high-class athletes. The main organizational and methodological principles of the training of Norwegian Olympians were undoubtedly borrowed from the experience of training athletes in Eastern Europe and, above all, in the GDR. The first thing that was done was to identify a group of especially gifted athletes and it was for them that the necessary conditions were created for full-fledged training. Previously it was considered unacceptable to place some athletes in a privileged position in relation to others. Second, the entire system of preparation, all other competitions were subordinated to the main task - systematic, without forcing, preparation for the Olympic Games. Previously, preparation planning was mainly carried out in the interests of successful performance at the World Championships and World Cup competitions. Third - the use of modern means and methods of training, options for planning the training process. For example, in preparation for the Albertville Olympics, Norwegian skiers made extensive use of mid-altitude training, training in the Alps at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level. All this not only explains the success of the Norwegian athletes at the XVI Winter Olympic Games, but suggests that they are able to achieve high results in the largest competitions in subsequent years.
The 1992 Winter Olympics were last held in the same year as the Summer. The IOC decided to continue holding the Winter and Summer Olympic Games alternately with an interval of 2 years.
From 8 to 23 February 1992, the XVI Winter Olympic Games were held in Albertville (France). France has already hosted the Winter Olympics twice: Chamonix 1924 and Grenoble 1968. This Winter Olympics was the last to take place in a leap year.
At the same time, the French Olympic Committee applied to host the 1992 Summer Olympics in Paris. When Albertville won the election, he deprived Paris of any chance, since IOC rules do not allow the Olympics to be held twice in a row in the same country.
Olympic symbols Albertville 1992
The 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics emblem depicted the Olympic flame in the colors of the Savoy region. The emblem showed the identity of the games in Albertville and served three main functions: to show the highlands, modernity and sports, to highlight.
The talisman is a half-human, half-deity whose figure combines dream and imagination through its unusual star shape.
The stadium, where the opening and closing of the 1992 Winter Olympics took place, was specially built for them.
Athletes from 6 CIS countries took part in the Winter Olympic Games in Albertville. The CIS national team at the 1992 Olympics was the United Team. In the CIS national team at the 1992 Olympics, almost all medals were won by athletes from Russia, athletes from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan did not receive a single medal.
For the first time at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, medals were played in 3 disciplines: women's biathlon, short track, freestyle skiing (skating).
Anfisa Reztsova became the only athlete in the world to win gold in both biathlon and cross-country skiing.
The situation with hockey has turned out to be difficult. As now, many venerable Soviet hockey players were not allowed from professional teams to the NHL. Young hockey players were able to take part, not counting Vyacheslav Bykov and Andrey Khomutov. The team was not among the favorites.
In the group, coach Viktor Tikhonov's team lost to the Czechs, reaching the playoffs from second place, but after the combined hockey players made the USA (5-2) and defeated Canada in the final, becoming Olympic champions.
Viktor Tikhonov and his "Red Machine" Until the next such success will have to wait 26 years.
The youngest champion of the 1992 Winter Olympics was ski jumper 16-year-old Finn Tony Nieminen, who won two gold and one bronze medals.
The Norwegian national team received all the gold in the men's cross-country skiing, and also took all the prizes in the men's 30 km cross-country skiing.
The New Zealand national team won the silver medal, the first and so far the last time the winner of the Winter Games in Albertville was an athlete from the southern hemisphere.
Team classification at the Winter Olympics in Albertville
Croatia and Slovenia participated in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville for the first time as independent states, and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after a long break.
Albertville (France)
The 1992 Games came at a time of great political upheaval, which largely overshadowed sports. Two months before the Olympics, the Soviet Union collapsed, and a civil war raged in Yugoslavia. In 1990, the GDR and the FRG merged, which allowed Germany for the first time in many years to act as a joint German team. But the Baltic countries, Croatia and Slovenia separated from the former metropolises and arrived in Albertville as new members of the IOC. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia did not have time to formalize sports sovereignty and decided to compete at the Winter Games with the CIS United Team. In addition, the Games were the last in which Czechs and Slovaks played together.
Venue - Albertville, France
8 - 23 February 1992
Number of participating countries - 64
Number of athletes participating - 1801 (488 women, 1313 men)
Medal Sets - 57
Team Winner - Germany
Three main characters of the Games according to "SE"
Bjorn Daly (Norway),
ski race
Lyubov Egorova (CIS),
ski race
Gunda Niemann (Germany),
skating
STORMY YEARS
SUCCESS AGAINST THE RULES
At the opening ceremony, the united CIS team paraded under the IOC flag, but each Olympian had his own national flags in his hands. Most of the 129 athletes were from Russia. Interestingly, in our country, TV viewers could watch the ceremony simultaneously on two channels - the "first button" ("Ostankino") and the "second" (RTR) could not share this broadcast among themselves. The Olympic debut of "Sport-Express" also took place in Albertville - Vladimir Geskin and Lev Rossoshik worked at the 1992 Olympics.
The eighth was a pleasant surprise for the Games. olympic title our hockey team. This time, coaches Viktor Tikhonov and Igor Dmitriev had great difficulties with the formation of the team, since all the leading Soviet hockey players left for the NHL. Of the experienced players, only Andrei Khomutov and Vyacheslav Bykov, who played in Switzerland, managed to get to the Olympics. The team mainly consisted of young people. But, to the surprise of everyone, the CIS national team alternately removed from its path the Finns, Americans and Canadians, for whom Eric Lindros played. Second phase hockey tournament for the first time was held according to the playoff system, but this did not bother our unfired squad. Albertville's champion title is so far the last Olympic gold for our team. Five years after this victory, Igor Dmitriev will be diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the doctors will not be able to save the coach.
In the first Olympic women's biathlon starts, the recent ski champion Anfisa Reztsova made a splash. Despite the terrible shooting, she managed to win back fantastic handicaps from her opponents on the track. In figure skating, the CIS national team won three of the four highest awards: Natalya Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev among sports pairs, Marina Klimova and Sergey Ponomarenko in ice dancing and Viktor Petrenko among men singles. Our athletes managed to win Olympic medals even in short track and freestyle. In the team competition, the United team lost only to the Germans, overtaking in number Olympic medals favorites of the Games - the Norwegians. Although it was not only good luck in Albertville. For example, in the men's biathlon relay, we lost gold to the German team for the first time in the last six Olympics.
JUDO'S WIFE RISE
From the events of the Games that are not associated with our champions, the triumph of 16-year-old Finn Tony Nieminen in ski jumping is usually distinguished. This was the most significant event in the career of this athlete - in the future he was not able to show such results. All the top jumpers, including Nieminen, used the V-style ski positioning in Albertville, which was proposed by the Swede Jan Boklev immediately after the 1988 Olympics. The revolutionary inventor himself took 47th place out of 58 possible at the 1992 Games.
In the men's cross-country skiing, all five medals of the highest standard were retained by the Norwegians - Bjorn Daly was assisted by Vegard Ulvang. At the speed skating oval, the public's sympathy was won by the German blonde Gunda Niemann, who won two gold and one silver medals. In addition to exploits on the ice track, Gunda will go down in history as an athlete who mixed three names during her career. She started out as Clement, but a year before Albertville had married little-known judoka Dietlef Niemann. The marriage was short-lived. In 1997, the speed skater becomes the wife of the Swiss Oliver Stirnemann and continues to act as Niemann-Stirnemann.
Appearance in Olympic program new sports significantly expanded the medal geography of the Games, although in traditional sports, the favorite countries began to experience pressure from athletes from regions where winter sports were not so developed before. The Koreans won the first gold medals in the history of their country, and the Chinese for the first time hit the podium. For the first time at the Winter Games, Anlize Koberger, a representative of the Southern Hemisphere, an alpine skier from New Zealand, won a medal. And the Japanese woman Midori Ito became the first athlete from Asia to climb the Olympic podium in figure skating. By the way, in the singles tournament, Ito lost only to an American of Japanese origin Kristi Yamaguchi.
The organizers did not always manage to cope with the influx of athletes from different countries. So, in the men's giant slalom competitions, the athletes had to be released onto the track with an interval of 40 seconds, which led to an unprecedented situation for alpine skiing - overtaking. Moroccan skier Hassan Mata fell during his descent and lost his ski. While he was wearing it, the next skier, Raymond Keyrose from Lebanon, bypassed him. But the Lebanese did not have time to finish before the third participant of the competition, the Costa Rican Martin Selvin, appeared on the track. Because of this dump on the slope, the slalomists lost their concentration, and all three were disqualified for missing the gate.
