1992 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event
celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville
, France
. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics were held at the same site. Albertville was selected as host in 1986, beating Sofia
, Falun
, Lillehammer
, Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Anchorage and Berchtesgaden
. The games were the third Winter Olympics held in France, after Chamonix
in 1924
and Grenoble
in 1968
, and the fifth Olympics overall in the country.
Only some of the skating and the opening and closing ceremonies took place in Albertville, while the rest of the events took place in the villages of Courchevel
, La Plagne
, Les Arcs
, Les Menuires
, Les Saisies
, Méribel
, Pralognan-la-Vanoise
, Tignes
and Val d'Isère
. Sixty-four nations with 1,801 athletes participated in the games, including the Unified Team
which represented non-Baltic former Soviet republics. Germany
participated as a unified team, while five newly independent European countries debuted, as did six "warm-weather" countries. Short track speed skating
, moguls
and women's biathlon
made their debut as an Olympic sport. The games were the last Winter Games to have demonstration sport
s, consisting of curling
, aerials
, ski ballet and speed skiing
. It was the last Olympics to have an outdoor speed skating rink
. The games were succeeded by the 1992 Winter Paralympics
from 25 March to 1 April.
Norwegians
won every male cross-country skiing
race, with Bjørn Dæhlie
and Vegard Ulvang
both collecting three gold. Ski jumper
Toni Nieminen
, 16, became the youngest male gold medalist of a Winter Olympic event. Petra Kronberger
won both the combined event and the slalom, while Bonnie Blair
won both the 500 m and 1000 m speed skating events and Gunda Niemann took both of the longest races. Kim Kihoon earned gold medals in both men's short track
events. Annelise Coberger of New Zealand
won the southern hemisphere's first Winter Olympic medal—a silver in the women's slalom. Nicolas Bochatay
was killed during a training session. Germany
won the most medals and the most gold.
, six states formed a Unified Team
, while the Baltic States
of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had their own teams. Croatia and Slovenia, who were making their first appearance at the Winter Olympics, competed as independent nations after leaving Yugoslavia
. The UN sanctions against Yugoslavia that saw them miss the 1992 Summer Olympics
had yet to come into effect.
The German team won most medals in the games, with a total of 10 gold medals, 10 silver and 6 bronze. It was the first time since the 1936 Winter Olympics
that Germany competed with a unified team after the reunification
.
Making their debuts were Algeria, Bermuda
, Brazil, Honduras, Ireland and Swaziland (as well as the previously mentioned Croatia and Slovenia). It would also be the only appearance for both Honduras and Swaziland in Winter Olympics to date.
(¹ combined team with athletes from 6 nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States
; team only appeared in these Winter Olympics)
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville
Albertville
Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics were held at the same site. Albertville was selected as host in 1986, beating Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Falun
Falun
Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
, Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Anchorage and Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
. The games were the third Winter Olympics held in France, after Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
in 1924
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
in 1968
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
, and the fifth Olympics overall in the country.
Only some of the skating and the opening and closing ceremonies took place in Albertville, while the rest of the events took place in the villages of Courchevel
Courchevel
Courchevel is the name of a ski resort located in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise in the French Alps, in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes region. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world...
, La Plagne
La Plagne
La Plagne is a French ski area in the alpine valley of the Tarentaise . Since 2003, La Plagne and the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs form Paradiski's ski area...
, Les Arcs
Les Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
, Les Menuires
Les Menuires
Les Menuires is a ski resort in the Belleville valley of Les Trois Vallées between Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens. Owned and operated by Compagnie des Alpes, It is in the Savoie département of France....
, Les Saisies
Les Saisies
Les Saises is a ski resort located in the Savoie départment of France. It is from Albertville, host of the 1992 Winter Olympics. For those games, the resort hosted the biathlon and cross-country skiing events....
, Méribel
Méribel
Méribel is a ski resort in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, situated near the town of Moutiers.Méribel refers to three neighbouring villages in the Les Allues commune of the Savoie département of France, near the town of Moûtiers , called Méribel Centre, Méribel-Mottaret and Méribel Village...
, Pralognan-la-Vanoise
Pralognan-la-Vanoise
Pralognan-la-Vanoise is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The Patinoire olympique was the curling venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics.-External links:*...
, Tignes
Tignes
Tignes is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is also a ski resort near Val d'Isère, that are linked together as the "Espace Killy" region...
and Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter...
. Sixty-four nations with 1,801 athletes participated in the games, including the Unified Team
Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville was a joint team consisting of six of the fifteen former Soviet republics: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Armenia. The Unified Team's only other appearance was at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona...
which represented non-Baltic former Soviet republics. Germany
Germany at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Germany competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. It was the first time that the nation had competed at the Olympic Games following reunification in 1990...
participated as a unified team, while five newly independent European countries debuted, as did six "warm-weather" countries. Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
, moguls
Freestyle skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Freestyle skiing was an official sport discipline for the first time at the 1992 Winter Olympics, with medals awarded in the moguls event. Aerials was still a demonstration event at these games...
and women's biathlon
Biathlon at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympic Games Biathlon resultsThe Biathlon competitions were held at Les Saisies, about 40 km from host city Albertville.-Medal table:-10 km sprint:February 12, 1992-20 km:February 20, 1992...
made their debut as an Olympic sport. The games were the last Winter Games to have demonstration sport
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
s, consisting of curling
Curling at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Curling was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Winter Olympics. The competition was held in the patinoire olympique of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, a venue about 50 km from the host city, Albertville.-Medal table:-Events:-Standings:-Results:...
, aerials
Freestyle skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Freestyle skiing was an official sport discipline for the first time at the 1992 Winter Olympics, with medals awarded in the moguls event. Aerials was still a demonstration event at these games...
, ski ballet and speed skiing
Speed skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Speed skiing was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Winter Olympics. The venue was in Les Arcs, about 60 km from the host city Albertville. Michael Prufer, a 31 year old medical doctor from Savoie, improved his own 1988 world record by 5.558 km/h. Philippe Goitschel, the nephew of French ski...
. It was the last Olympics to have an outdoor speed skating rink
Speed skating rink
A speed skating rink is an ice rink in which a speed skating competition is held.-The rink:...
. The games were succeeded by the 1992 Winter Paralympics
1992 Winter Paralympics
The 1992 Winter Paralympics were the fifth Winter Paralympics. They were the first winter Paralympics to be celebrated concurrently with the Olympic Games. They were held in Tignes and Albertville, France, from March 25 to April 1, 1992...
from 25 March to 1 April.
Norwegians
Norway at the 1992 Winter Olympics
-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenMen's combinedWomenWomen's combined- Biathlon:MenMen's 4 x 7.5 km relayWomenWomen's 3 x 7.5 km relay1A penalty loop of 150 metres had to be skied per missed target....
won every male cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympic games cross-country skiing results.The cross-country skiing competitions were held at Les Saisies, about 40 km from the host city Albertville.-Evolution of the Olympic program:...
race, with Bjørn Dæhlie
Bjørn Dæhlie
Bjørn Erlend Dæhlie is a Norwegian businessman and retired cross-country skier. With 8 olympic gold medals, Dæhlie is the most winning winter olympic champion of all time. With nine gold medals in the Nord World Ski Championships he is in addition the most winning World Champion skier...
and Vegard Ulvang
Vegard Ulvang
Vegard Ulvang is a Norwegian former cross-country skier who won three Olympic gold medals. At the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, he took the ceremonial Olympic Oath on part of all the athletes...
both collecting three gold. Ski jumper
Ski jumping at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympic Games Ski Jumping resultsThe venue was Courchevel, a ski resort 50 kilometers from host city Albertville.-Medals:-Large hill:February 16, 1992-Normal hill:February 9, 1992-Team large hill:February 14, 1992-References:*...
Toni Nieminen
Toni Nieminen
Toni Nieminen is a Finnish ski-jumper who competed from 1991 to 2004.His biggest success came very early in his career at the age of 16, where he won three medals at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, earning two gold medals in the individual and team large hill events; and a bronze medal in...
, 16, became the youngest male gold medalist of a Winter Olympic event. Petra Kronberger
Petra Kronberger
Petra Kronberger is an Austrian former alpine skier, who participated in all disciplines.-Career:She debuted in the World Cup in 1987, and achieved her first win in a downhill competition in 1990....
won both the combined event and the slalom, while Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Blair
Bonnie Kathleen Blair is a retired American speedskater. She is one of the top skaters of her time, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal.-Career:Blair...
won both the 500 m and 1000 m speed skating events and Gunda Niemann took both of the longest races. Kim Kihoon earned gold medals in both men's short track
Short track speed skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympic Games Short Track resultsThe venue was the Halle Olympique located next to the Théâtre des Cérémonies, a couple of kilometers west of downtown Albertville...
events. Annelise Coberger of New Zealand
New Zealand at the 1992 Winter Olympics
New Zealand competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Annelise Coberger won the nation's first medal at the Winter Olympic Games in the women's slalom event.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenWomen...
won the southern hemisphere's first Winter Olympic medal—a silver in the women's slalom. Nicolas Bochatay
Nicolas Bochatay
Nicolas Bochatay was a Swiss speed skier who died during the 1992 Winter Olympics. Bochatay was killed when he collided with a snow grooming vehicle on the morning of the speed skiing finals. He was the nephew of Olympic skier Fernande Bochatay.-Personal life:Bochatay, a carpenter, was...
was killed during a training session. Germany
Germany at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Germany competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. It was the first time that the nation had competed at the Olympic Games following reunification in 1990...
won the most medals and the most gold.
Host city selection
The vote to select the host city of the 1992 Winter Olympics was conducted on October 17, 1986, in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the 91st IOC Session. A record of seven different locales bid for these Games.| 1992 Winter Olympics bidding results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Country | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 (Run-off) | Round 6 |
| Albertville Albertville Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:... |
 Early Modern France |
19 | 26 | 29 | 42 | — | 51 |
| Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... |
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
25 | 25 | 28 | 24 | — | 25 |
| Falun Falun Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County... |
 Sweden |
10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 41 | 9 |
| Lillehammer Lillehammer is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was... |
 Norway |
10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 40 | — |
| Cortina d'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene... |
 Italy |
7 | 6 | 7 | — | — | — |
| Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States... |
 United States |
7 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich... |
 West Germany |
6 | — | — | — | — | — |
Athletic highlights
- Freestyle skiing event of moguls and short-track speedskating made their debuts as medal disciplines, as did women's biathlon.
- Norwegian skiers won every male cross-country skiing race. Bjørn DæhlieBjørn DæhlieBjørn Erlend Dæhlie is a Norwegian businessman and retired cross-country skier. With 8 olympic gold medals, Dæhlie is the most winning winter olympic champion of all time. With nine gold medals in the Nord World Ski Championships he is in addition the most winning World Champion skier...
and Vegard UlvangVegard UlvangVegard Ulvang is a Norwegian former cross-country skier who won three Olympic gold medals. At the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, he took the ceremonial Olympic Oath on part of all the athletes...
each won three gold medals. - Speedskater Bonnie BlairBonnie BlairBonnie Kathleen Blair is a retired American speedskater. She is one of the top skaters of her time, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal.-Career:Blair...
won both the 500 and 1,000 m events; Gunda NiemannGunda Niemann-StirnemannGunda Niemann-Stirnemann is a former German speed skater and the most successful speed skater of all time. Born as Gunda Kleemann, she changed her name to Gunda Niemann after her marriage in 1991 to judoka Detlev Niemann. After their divorce in 1995, she kept the name Niemann...
took both of the longest races. - Ski jumper Toni NieminenToni NieminenToni Nieminen is a Finnish ski-jumper who competed from 1991 to 2004.His biggest success came very early in his career at the age of 16, where he won three medals at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, earning two gold medals in the individual and team large hill events; and a bronze medal in...
, 16, became the youngest male gold medalist of a Winter Olympic event. - Italian alpine skier Alberto TombaAlberto TombaAlberto Tomba is an Italian retired alpine ski racer. He was the dominant technical skier in the late 1980s and 1990s. Tomba won three Olympic gold medals, two World Championships, and nine World Cup season titles; four in slalom, four in giant slalom, and one overall title...
won the Giant Slalom for the second time in a row. - Austrian alpine skier Petra KronbergerPetra KronbergerPetra Kronberger is an Austrian former alpine skier, who participated in all disciplines.-Career:She debuted in the World Cup in 1987, and achieved her first win in a downhill competition in 1990....
won both the combined event and the slalom. - Kim Kihoon earned gold medals in both men's short-track events.
- Annelise Coberger of New Zealand wins the southern hemisphere's first Winter Olympic medal—a silver in the women's slalom.
- Kristi YamaguchiKristi YamaguchiKristine Tsuya "Kristi" Yamaguchi-Hedican is an American figure skater. She is the 1992 Olympic Champion in ladies' singles. Yamaguchi also won two World Figure Skating Championships in 1991 and 1992 and a U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1992. She won one junior world title in 1988 and two...
and Midori ItoMidori Itois a former Japanese figure skater. She is the 1989 World Champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. She is the first woman to land a triple/triple jump combination and a triple axel in competition. She is also the first woman to land seven triple jumps in a free program, which she did at the...
of the United States and Japan respectively, became the first persons of Asian descent to win Olympic medals in figure skating. - Midori Ito becomes the first woman to land a triple axel in Olympic competition.
- The Swiss speed skier Nicolas BochatayNicolas BochatayNicolas Bochatay was a Swiss speed skier who died during the 1992 Winter Olympics. Bochatay was killed when he collided with a snow grooming vehicle on the morning of the speed skiing finals. He was the nephew of Olympic skier Fernande Bochatay.-Personal life:Bochatay, a carpenter, was...
died on the morning of the speed skiing finals, when he collided with a snow grooming vehicle while skiing on a public slope outside the racing area.
Sports
See the medal winners, ordered by sport:Demonstration sports
This was the final time demonstration sports were included in the Winter Olympics programme.- CurlingCurling at the 1992 Winter OlympicsCurling was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Winter Olympics. The competition was held in the patinoire olympique of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, a venue about 50 km from the host city, Albertville.-Medal table:-Events:-Standings:-Results:...
– Competed fr the first time since 19241924 Winter OlympicsThe 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
. It became a regular discipline in 1998Curling at the 1998 Winter OlympicsCurling at the 1998 Winter Olympics took place at Karuizawa, who had hosted the equestrian events at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The 1998 Nagano Olympics marked the first time that curling was held as an official Olympic sport...
. - Freestyle skiingFreestyle skiing at the 1992 Winter OlympicsFreestyle skiing was an official sport discipline for the first time at the 1992 Winter Olympics, with medals awarded in the moguls event. Aerials was still a demonstration event at these games...
– While moguls skiing was an official discipline, aerials and ski ballet were still considered as demonstration events. - Speed skiingSpeed skiing at the 1992 Winter OlympicsSpeed skiing was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Winter Olympics. The venue was in Les Arcs, about 60 km from the host city Albertville. Michael Prufer, a 31 year old medical doctor from Savoie, improved his own 1988 world record by 5.558 km/h. Philippe Goitschel, the nephew of French ski...
– A death occurred during a training session. The sport has not been included in the Winter Olympics program.
Participating nations
A total of 64 nations sent athletes to compete in these Games. With the collapse of the Soviet UnionHistory of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)
The history of the Soviet Union from 1982 through 1991, spans the period from Leonid Brezhnev's death and funeral until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Due to the years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth stagnated...
, six states formed a Unified Team
Unified Team
The Unified Team was the name used for the sports team of the former Soviet Union at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The IOC country code was EUN, after the French name, Équipe Unifiée...
, while the Baltic States
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had their own teams. Croatia and Slovenia, who were making their first appearance at the Winter Olympics, competed as independent nations after leaving Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. The UN sanctions against Yugoslavia that saw them miss the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
had yet to come into effect.
The German team won most medals in the games, with a total of 10 gold medals, 10 silver and 6 bronze. It was the first time since the 1936 Winter Olympics
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
that Germany competed with a unified team after the reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
.
Making their debuts were Algeria, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Brazil, Honduras, Ireland and Swaziland (as well as the previously mentioned Croatia and Slovenia). It would also be the only appearance for both Honduras and Swaziland in Winter Olympics to date.
| (Host country) |
Venues
The 1992 Games were as of today the last ones where the speed skating venue was outdoors.- AlbertvilleAlbertvilleAlbertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
- La halle de glace OlympiqueLa halle de glace OlympiqueLa halle de glace Olympique is an indoor arena located in Albertville, France. For the 1992 Winter Olympics, it hosted the figure skating and the short track speed skating events....
– Figure Skating and Short track speed skating - L'anneau de vitesseL'anneau de vitesseL'anneau de vitesse was a speed skating venue located in Albertville, France. As of the 2010 Winter Olympics, it is the last outdoor venue to hold speed skating as all future Olympic events have been held indoors. For the 1992 Winter Olympics, they hosted the speed skating events.The stands which...
– Speed skating - Théâtre des CérémoniesThéâtre des CérémoniesThéâtre des Cérémonies was a temporary stadium in Albertville, France. Built to only host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1992 Winter Olympics, the circular shape stadium was immediately disassembled following the games. The stadium held 35,000 and was built in 1992 like a circus. Part...
– Ceremonies (opening/ closing)
- La halle de glace Olympique
- Les ArcsLes ArcsLes Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
– Speed skiing - CourchevelCourchevelCourchevel is the name of a ski resort located in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise in the French Alps, in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes region. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world...
– Ski jumping and Nordic combined - Les MénuiresLes MenuiresLes Menuires is a ski resort in the Belleville valley of Les Trois Vallées between Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens. Owned and operated by Compagnie des Alpes, It is in the Savoie département of France....
– Alpine skiing (slalom men) - MéribelMéribelMéribel is a ski resort in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps, situated near the town of Moutiers.Méribel refers to three neighbouring villages in the Les Allues commune of the Savoie département of France, near the town of Moûtiers , called Méribel Centre, Méribel-Mottaret and Méribel Village...
– Alpine Skiing (women)- Méribel Ice PalaceMéribel Ice PalaceMéribel Ice Palace is an indoor ice hockey arena in Méribel, France. It was built in 1991 and held 8,000 people when it opened. The ice hockey games from the 1992 Winter Olympics were held at this arena...
– Ice hockey
- Méribel Ice Palace
- La PlagneLa Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton trackThe La Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in La Plagne, France. The track hosted the bobsleigh and luge competitions for the 1992 Winter Olympics located in neighboring Albertville.-History:...
– Bobsleigh and Luge - Pralognan-la-VanoisePralognan-la-VanoisePralognan-la-Vanoise is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The Patinoire olympique was the curling venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics.-External links:*...
– Curling - Les SaisiesLes SaisiesLes Saises is a ski resort located in the Savoie départment of France. It is from Albertville, host of the 1992 Winter Olympics. For those games, the resort hosted the biathlon and cross-country skiing events....
– Biathlon, Cross-country skiing - TignesTignesTignes is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is also a ski resort near Val d'Isère, that are linked together as the "Espace Killy" region...
– Freestyle skiing - Val d'IsèreVal d'IsèreVal d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter...
– Alpine skiing (men combined, downhill, giant slalom, and super-giant slalom)
Medal count
(Host nation is highlighted.)| 1 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 26 | |
| 2 | ¹ | 9 | 6 | 8 | 23 |
| 3 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 20 | |
| 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 21 | |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 | |
| 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | |
| 7 | (host) | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 |
| 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
(¹ combined team with athletes from 6 nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
; team only appeared in these Winter Olympics)