Photos: Winter Olympics moments in history
The first Winter Olympics games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. They were held every four years excluding a suspension during World War II. A decision by the International Olympic Committee in 1986 called for the summer and winter games to be held in alternating even years, so winter games were held in 1992 and again in 1994 and than every four years thereafter. This year's games will be in Sochi, Russia, Feb. 7-23.
Winter Olympics moments in history
Undated view of the Olympic Stadium at Chamonix, France, where the Winter Olympics were held in 1924. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The U.S. is represented during opening ceremonies for the I Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, Jan. 25, 1924. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Eleven-year-old Sonja Henie, left, and world champion skater Gilles Grafstrom, are shown on ice skates at the Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Henie won gold in the 1928, 1932, and 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Grafstrom, seven-year world champion, won the Olympic gold medal in 1920, 1924, and 1928. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
This photograph shows the official logo of the Second Winter Olympic Games to be held in St. Motitz, Switzerland in 1928.. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Sonja Henie practices in Oslo, Norway, Jan. 24, 1928. Henie will compete in the Figure Skating Ladies Single at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
U.S. Olympic speed skater Irving Jaffee is shown in action at the III Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, N.Y., in Feb. 1932. Jaffee won gold medals in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter speed skating events. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Winners of the 5,000-meter speed skating event stand on the podium at the III Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, N.Y., on Feb. 4, 1932. Irving Jaffee, center, of United States won the gold medal, Edward Murphy, left, of the United States, won the silver medal, and Bill Logan of Canada won the bronze medal. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The Olympic Stadium at Lake Placid, N.Y., where the opening of the third Winter Olympic Games will be held, is shown in 1932. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Members of the U.S. Olympic teams march behind the American flag into the ski stadium in the snow during opening ceremonies of the IV Winter Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 6, 1936. There are 668 athletes participating from 28 nations. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Members of the U.S. 1948 Winter Olympic speed skating team limber up during a practice session in preparation for the forthcoming Olympics, Jan. 21, 1948, St. Moritz, Switzerland. Left to right are Art Seaman, of South Minneapolis, Minn., Ken Henry, Chicago, Ill., Richard Solem, of Minn.; Sonny Rupprecht, of St. Louis, Mo., Ray Blum, from Nutley, N.J., and John Werket, of South Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The flag bearers of the 28 competing nations paraded in the ice stadium, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Feb. 8, 1948, during the closing ceremony of the fifth Winter Olympic Games. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The winners of the Men's Figure Skating at the Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Feb. 7. 1948, stand on the podium whilst the anthem is played, after they had been presented with their medals. From left to right; Edi Rada of Austria, Bronze Medal; Richard Button of America, Gold Medal; Hans Gerschwill of Switzerland, Silver Medal. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The American Olympic men's ski team, left to right: William Beck, Bill Bueck, David Lawrence, Jack Nagel, Emile Allais, John Herbert, Verne Goodwin, Darrell Robinson, Brooks Dodge, and Jack Reddish pose together on the slopes, Jan. 27, 1952 at St. Anton, Austria. (AP Photo/Hans Von Nolde)
Winter Olympics moments in history
American Ken Henry competes in the 500 metre speed skating event, during the sixth Winter Olympic Games, at Bislett Stadium, Oslo, Norway, on Feb. 16, 1952. Henry won the gold medal in the event, beating his teammate Donald McDermott. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Andrea Mead Lawrence, center, of Rutland, VT, stands on the gold medal pedestal in Oslo, Norway, on February 18, 1952, after winning the women's giant slalom event of the 1952 Winter Olympics. Flanking the U.S. winner are: Dagmar Rom, left, of Austria, who finished second; and Annemarie Buchner-Fischer, right, of Germany, who finished third. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The U.S. figure skaters who scored a clean sweep in the men's Olympic figure skating championships in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, February 2, 1956, display their medals. From left are: Hayes Alan Jenkins, of Colorado Springs, Co., who won the Olympic title; Ronald Robertson, of Long Beach, Calif., who took second honors; and Jenkins' younger brother, David, who finished third. (AP Photo/Pringle)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Jim Bickford, 43-year-old bobsledder from Saranac Lake, N.Y., carries U.S. flag as he leads teammates past stands at stadium at Cortina D'Ampezzo during opening ceremonies for 1956 Winter Olympic Games, Jan. 26, 1956, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy. Bickford, a forest ranger, is participating in his fourth Olympics. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
This is the 10-man speed skating team chosen to represent the United States in the VIII Winter Olympics, Jan. 30, 1960, Squaw Valley, Calif. From Left to Right are Manager Al Zirkel, Bill Disney, Alhambra, Cal.; Terry McDermott, Essex Ville, Mich.; Bill Carow, Madison, Wis.; Don McDermott, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; Eddie Rudolph, Northbrook, Ill., Flood Bedbury, St. Paul, Minn.; Keith Meyer, Glen Ellyn, Ill.; Dick Hunt, Los Angeles; Ross Zucco, Hollydale, Calif.; Arnold Uhrlass, Elmhurst, N.Y.; Coach Eddie Schroeder, Chicago. (AP Photo/Robert H. Houston)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Carol Heiss comes out of a spin during the figure skating competition of the VIII Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley, Ca. on Feb. 23, 1960. She won America's first gold medal of the 1960 Winter Games. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
David Jenkins puts on a brilliant free figure skating performance on Feb. 26, 1960 at Squaw Valley, Calif., to win the Winter Olympics figure skating championship and a gold medal for the United State. His flawless performance carried him past his chief rival, Karel Divin of Czechoslovakia, who had been in the lead after the compulsory school figures had been skated. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Teams enter arena for the Winter Olympic games opening ceremony in Squaw Valley, Calif., in January 1960. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Scotty Allen, 14, and Peggy Fleming, 15, new figure skating champions of the U.S., work out for the IX Winter Olympics in Austria at New York's Madison Square Garden on Jan. 17, 1964. Allen, of Smoke Rise, N.J., and Fleming, of Pasadena, Ca., are two of the youngest U.S. skating champions in history. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Laughing Jean Saubert of Lakeview, Ore., winner of Silver and Bronze Medals in the Slalom Skiing events, carries the United States flag in the closing ceremonies of the ninth Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria on Feb. 9, 1964. More than 11,000 spectators jammed into the Ice Stadium to watch of finale. The U.S. standard-bearer is not identified. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Peggy Fleming, USA, performs in the women's free skate competition in Grenoble, France, on Feb. 10, 1968 at the X Winter Olympic Games. The 19-year-old student from Colorado Springs, Col., won the gold medal. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
U.S. Men team at Le Recoin, Chamrousse, France on Feb. 2, 1968 before training. From Left to Right are: Jim Barrows, Gordon Eaton, trainer Jere Elliott, Dennis McCoy, Spider Sabich, William Kidd. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
This is a general view of the Olympic flag being raised during opening ceremony of the 10th Winter Games in Grenoble, France, Feb. 6, 1968. (AP Photo/Dieter Endlicher)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Japanese girls from Olympic rings in the center of the Makomanai ice arena during the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic, Feb. 13, 1972, Sapporo, Japan. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Bob Cochran of Richmond, Vermont, swoops down Mt. Eniwa at Sapporo, Japan, Feb. 6, 1972, during a training run for the downhill event of the Winter Olympics. His time of 1:55.78 was fifth best of the day. (AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The United States Olympic Ice Hockey team, with Keith Christiansen, of Duluth, Minn., hand shaking Olympic Official, after receiving their silver medals on Sunday, Feb. 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Japan. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Alpine skier Cindy Nelson, of Lutsen, Mn., is the flag-bearer for the United States team marching inside the Bergisel stadium in the opening ceremony of the 12th Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 4, 1976 in Innsbruck. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
America's Dorothy Hamill skates from the Innsbruck Olympic ice rink after picking up bouquets of flowers which were showered upon her after she won the gold medal in the women's figure skating event of the 12th Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Feb. 13, 1976. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Dorothy Hamill of Riverside, Ct.., kisses the gold medal she won in women's figure skating, Feb. 13, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria at the Winter Games. It was America's third gold medal in the 12th Winter Olympic Games at Innsbruck, Austria. (AP Photo/Bob Dear)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Craig Patrick, USA assistant hockey coach, a hugged by three team members, Sunday, Feb. 24, 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, while a fan waves an American flag after the USA hockey team won the Olympic gold by beating Finland 4-2. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Fans of the U.S. ice hockey team whoop it up outside the stadium in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 24, 1980, after the American team defeated Finland, 3-2, to win its first Olympic hockey gold medal since 1960. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Eric Heiden, of Madison, Wis., second from left, waves from the medal rostrum with other winners in the 1,000-meter speed skating event at the XIII Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 19, 1980. Waving at left is silver medal winner Gaetan Boucher of Canada. The bronze medal winners are Vladimir Lobanov, of USSR, and Frode Roenning of Norway, far right. (AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Opening ceremonies take place for the XIV Winter Olympics in Sarajevo's Kosevo stadium Feb. 8, 1984.(AP Photo)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Members of the U.S. Olympic team wave to audience as they march in opening ceremony at Kosevo Stadium in Sarajevo, on Feb. 8, 1984 for the XIV winter Olympic Games. Frank Masley of Newark carries the flag. Placad marked sad is the Yugoslav designation for USA. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Phile Mahre from Vakima, wash, center, is flanked by his twin brother Steve, left, and French skier Didier Bouvet in the podium on Mt. Bjelasnica, on Sunday, Feb. 19, 1984 in Sarajevo after the men's special slalom event, the last alpine competition on the last day of the XIV Winter Olympic Games. Phile catched gold while Steve placed second winning silver and the French bronze. (AP Photo/KS)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Brian Boitano of Sunnyvale, Calif., skates to the music during free skating competition at the Saddledome, Saturday, Feb. 20, 1988, Calgary, Canada. Boitano won the Olympic men's figure skating championship in a narrow decision over rival Brian Orser of Canada, giving the United States its first gold medal of the XV Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Bonnie Blair of the U.S. raises her arm in a salute, after being presented with the Gold medal for the Women's 5090-meter speed skating at the Olympic Oval in Calgary in evening on Monday, Feb. 22, 1988. Blair won gold with a new World record time of 39.10 seconds for the event. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Winter Olympics moments in history
American cross country skier Bill Koch of Brattleboro, Vt., carries the American flag to lead the U.S. delegation into the opening ceremonies of the XVI Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, Saturday, Feb. 8, 1992. George Steinbrenner, vice president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, waves his hand from the second row, fourth from right. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander)
Winter Olympics moments in history
U.S. speed skater Bonnie Blair waves her flowers after winning the gold medal in the women's 500-meter race at the XVI Winter Olympics in Albertville, France on Monday, Feb. 11, 1992. Flanking Blair is silver medal winner Qiaobo Ye of China, left, and bronze medal winner Christa Luding of Germany. Some thought they represented the past, present and future of speed skating. (AP Photo/John Gaps III)
Winter Olympics moments in history
U.S. goalie Ray LeBlanc, center, is congratulated by teammates, from left, Dave Tretowicz, Tim Sweeney and Bret Hedican after their 4-1 win over France in Olympic hockey action, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1992, Meribel, France. The win advances the U.S. team to the semifinals of the medal round. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Austrian four-man bobsled team is cheered by supporters after winning the gold medal in the event on Saturday, Feb. 22, 1992 in La Plagne, France. They are, from left: brakeman Thomas Schroll; driver Ingo Appelt, on shoulders; Harald Winkler, and Gerhard Haidacher. (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Women members of the U.S. team wave as they parade into the Olympic Stadium during the XXV Olympic Games' opening ceremonies in Barcelona, Saturday, July 25, 1992. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Men's downhill winners Kjetil Andre Aamodt (silver), left, of Norway, Tommy Moe (gold), center, of the United States and Ed Podivinsky (bronze), right, of Canada display their medals after receiving them, Sunday, Feb. 13, 1994, Lillehammer, Norway. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Gold medalist Bonnie Blair, center, holds onto Canada's silver medalist Susan Auch, left, and Germany's bronze medalist, Franziska Schenk on the podium following the women's 500 meter event at Hamar Olympic Hall, Saturday, Feb. 19, 1994, Hamar, Norway. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle)
Winter Olympics moments in history
American short track speed skating bronze medallists Nicole Ziegelmeyer, left, Karen Cashman, second to the left, Cathy Turner and Amy Peterson, right, celebrate on the podium after receiving their medals for the 3,000 meter relay, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 1994, Hamar, Norway. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)
Winter Olympics moments in history
American speedskater Eric Flaim, center, of Pembroke, Mass., holds up his silver medal as John Coyle, right, of West Bloomfield, Mich., laughs after the medal presentation for the men's 5,000-meter short track relay race in Hamar, Norway, Feb. 26, 1994. The American team placed second with a time of 7:13.37. Also on the team are Randall Bartz and Andrew Gabel. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The United States team, led by flagbearer Eric Flaim, enters the stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the XVIII Winter Olympics at the Minami Nagano Sports Park in Nagano, Japan, Saturday, Feb. 7, 1998. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
Winter Olympics moments in history
USA's Karyn Bye hold up an American flag following their gold medal win against Canada during their finals match at the XVIII Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1998. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Gold medalist Eric Bergoust, of the U.S. holds up his medal for men's freestyle aerial skiing, during a Winter Olympics awards ceremony in downtown Nagano, Japan, Wednesday night, Feb. 18, 1998. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Winter Olympics moments in history
The U.S. Olympic team marches into Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Friday, Feb. 8, 2002. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Native American performers enter the Rice-Eccles Olympic stadium during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Friday, Feb. 8, 2002. Indians are showcasing their history and heritage during the Winter Games. Yet some tribes grew disenchanted with the games before they even began. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Vonetta Flowers, right, cries as she hugs her teammate Jill Bakken of the United States after their final and gold medal winning run in the Two Woman Bobsled inaugural event at Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in Park City, Utah, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002. Flowers, 28, is the first black athlete to win a medal at any Winter Games. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Winter Olympics moments in history
United States speedskater Chad Hedrick celebrates his gold medal during the medal ceremony for the Men's 5000 meters at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy Sunday Feb. 12, 2006. Hedrick vowed to win four more golds to equal compatriot Eric Heiden's feat of five golds at the games. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)
Winter Olympics moments in history
Gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno of the United States congratulates silver medalist Francois-Louis Tremblay after the Men's 500 meter final in Short Track Speed Skating competition at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Winter Olympics moments in history
In this Feb. 21, 2010, file photo, Bode Miller, of the United States, appears during a news conference after winning the gold medal in the men's super-combined at the Vancouver Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia. Miller was swayed from retirement last year by the lure of the olympics, where he won gold, silver and bronze to run his career total to five Winter Games medals.(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev, File)