Date: 13-24 February 1980
NOCs (Nations): 37
Athletes: 1,072 athletes (232 women, 840 men)
Sports: 6
Events: 38
Volunteers 6,703
The 1980 Winter Games, held in Lake Placid, New York, the United States, were filled with impressive performances. The great Swedish skier, Ingemar Stenmark, won both the giant slalom and the slalom. Hanni Wenzel did the same in the women's races and her nation, Liechtenstein, became the smallest country to produce an Olympic champion. Ulrich Wehling won the Nordic combined for the third time and pairs skater Irina Rodnina did the same in her event. In the biathlon relay, Aleksandr Tikhonov earned his fourth straight gold medal. Nikolay Zimyatov earned three gold medals in cross-country skiing. In an unprecedented achievement, Eric Heiden of the United States won all five speed skating races, from 500m all the way up to 10,000m. Nonetheless, for the home crowd, the highlight was the unexpected victory of the US ice hockey team.
China made its debut at the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games, sending 28 athletes to compete in speed skating, figure skating, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and biathlon. Wang Guizhen finished 18th in the alpine skiing women's slalom, featuring China's best results at the Games.
(COC Website July 8, 2004)
