Date: 12-27 February 1994
NOCs (Nations): 67
Athletes: 1,737 (522 women, 1, 215 men)
Sports: 6
Events: 61
Volunteers: 9,054
Media: 6,633 (2,615 written press, 4,018 broadcasters)
In 1986 the IOC voted to change the schedule of the Olympic
Games so that the Summer and Winter Games would be held in
different years. To adjust to this new schedule, the 17th Winter
Games were held in Lillehammer in 1994, the only time that two
Games have been staged two years apart. The 1994 Games were
extremely well organised and the Norwegian host's natural love of
winter sports added a refreshing purity of spirit. Local hero
Johann Koss won three speed skating events and set a world record
in every one. Vreni Schneider won a complete set of medals in
Alpine skiing and Manuela Di Centa earned medals in all five
cross-country events. Myriam Bedard won both women's individual
biathlon races. Gustav Weder and Donat Acklin became the first
repeat winners of the two-man bobsled. Pairs skaters Ekaterina
Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov returned to repeat their Olympic
victory of 1988.
A total of 28 Chinese athletes competed in the Lillehammer
Winter Olympic Games and took home three medals. Zhang Yanmei, who
led most of the way but slipped with the finish line within sight
in the women's 500m final, settled for a silver in short-track
speed skating and veteran skater Ye Qiaobo struggled for a bronze
medal in the women's 1,000m speed skating with bad injury to her
left knee. Also at the Games, Chen Lu emerged as third-place
finisher in the women's figure skating, winning China's first medal
in Olympic figure skating.
(COC Website?? July 8, 2004)