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| Meta Title | 10 Winter Olympics facts! | National Geographic Kids |
| Meta Description | Check out some hair-raising Winter Olympics facts! What is the Winter Olympics? What sports take place? And where is it being held next? |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | Grab your skis gang, itâs time for the Winter Olympics! Snow lovers from around the world are gathering for this frosty festival of sport, so letâs check out some Winter Olympics factsâŚ
PSSSST!
The next Winter Olympics are happening from 6-22 February 2026. Donât miss it!
Winter Olympics facts
1. All the events at the Winter Olympics take place in snow and ice!
These frosty competitions include
ice skating
,
skiing
,
snowboarding
and more. Some intrepid athletes venture high into the mountains on amazing
cross-country ski races
, while others compete indoors at
specially-built venues
.
2. The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924.
Around
250 athletes
from 16 countries competed in
Chamonix,
France
. There were
16 events
, including cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and ice hockey!
3. The Winter Olympics traditionally take place two years after the Summer Olympics.
But this isnât always the case. When the
Summer Olympic
Games of 2020 were moved to 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
, the
Beijing Winter Olympics
in
China
followed close behind in 2022!
4. Animals once participated in the Winter Olympics!
While they havenât been invited to join in with official sports,
horses
and
dogs
have both played a role in â
demonstration events
â. Dog-sledding featured in the 1932 Winter Olympics, while in the 1928 Olympics, horses demonstrated
skijoring
â an event that involves athletes being towed on skis behind riderless horses.
Donât try that at home, gang!
5. Athletes competing in skeleton bobsleigh hurtle down slopes at up to 140kmph!
Sliding on boards the
width of their body
, these athletes balance on their bellies and navigate around
tight turns
on a
hair-raising course
made of ice.
Yikes
!
6. In the first Winter Olympics, women were only allowed to compete in figure skating.
This continued until
1948
, when
skiing
also became a competitive womenâs sport. Thankfully, women can now compete in all sports at the Winter Olympics!
7. Marit Bjørgen from Norway has won the most medals of any Winter Olympian.
This amazing
cross-country skier
has won a whopping
15 medals
. She secured her title at the
2014 Winter
Olympics, by winning three gold medals!
8. Snow and ice once had to be brought in by the army!
Innsbruck ski jumping slope without any snow!
In
1964
, the Winter Olympics were set to take place in
Innsbruck
,
Austria
â but as the event loomed, the officials realised that there wasnât enough snow! So, the Austrian army headed into the nearby mountains and carted down more than
38,200 cubic metres of snow
and
20,000 blocks of ice
!
9. Walt Disney was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for one memorable Winter Olympics!
These took place in the
Squaw Valley
, California,
USA
in
1960
. In a quest to make the opening ceremony the most impressive yet, Disneyâs performance included a whopping
3,700 musicians
,
2,000 doves
, and more than
30,000 balloons
!
10. Only one person has ever won gold in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
American Eddie Eagan grabbed a gold medal in
boxing
during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp,
Germany
. Then, more than 10 years later, he scored another in the 1932 Winter Olympics, as part of a four-man
bobsled
team.
Wow!
Did you enjoy these Winter Olympics facts? Let us know in the comments below!
All images Š Adobe Stock.
9D3758E2-A4C9-4398-BD8B-80415B4ABD6A
Created with sketchtool.
1,190
Likes |
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## MOST POPULAR
[See all ](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/general-history/winter-olympics-facts/)
[Home](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk) Âť [General History](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/history/general-history/) Âť 10 Winter Olympics facts\!
Created with Sketch.

# 10 Winter Olympics facts\!
## Find out about this hair-raising international eventâŚ
**Grab your skis gang, itâs time for the Winter Olympics! Snow lovers from around the world are gathering for this frosty festival of sport, so letâs check out some Winter Olympics factsâŚ**
> PSSSST\!
>
> The next Winter Olympics are happening from 6-22 February 2026. Donât miss it\!
## Winter Olympics facts
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-4.jpg)
### 1\. All the events at the Winter Olympics take place in snow and ice\!
These frosty competitions include **ice skating**, **skiing**, **snowboarding** and more. Some intrepid athletes venture high into the mountains on amazing **cross-country ski races**, while others compete indoors at **specially-built venues**.
### 2\. The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-3.jpg)
Around **250 athletes** from 16 countries competed in **Chamonix, [France](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/facts-about-france/)**. There were **16 events**, including cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and ice hockey\!
### 3\. The Winter Olympics traditionally take place two years after the Summer Olympics.
But this isnât always the case. When the [Summer Olympic](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/greece/facts-about-the-olympics/) Games of 2020 were moved to 2021 due to the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/general-science/what-is-coronavirus/), the **Beijing Winter Olympics** in [China](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/30-cool-facts-about-china/) followed close behind in 2022\!
### 4\. Animals once participated in the Winter Olympics\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-1.jpg)
While they havenât been invited to join in with official sports, **horses** and **dogs** have both played a role in â**demonstration events**â. Dog-sledding featured in the 1932 Winter Olympics, while in the 1928 Olympics, horses demonstrated **skijoring** â an event that involves athletes being towed on skis behind riderless horses. *Donât try that at home, gang\!*
### 5\. Athletes competing in skeleton bobsleigh hurtle down slopes at up to 140kmph\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-7.jpg)
Sliding on boards the **width of their body**, these athletes balance on their bellies and navigate around **tight turns** on a **hair-raising course** made of ice. *Yikes*\!
### 6\. In the first Winter Olympics, women were only allowed to compete in figure skating.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-6.jpg)
This continued until **1948**, when **skiing** also became a competitive womenâs sport. Thankfully, women can now compete in all sports at the Winter Olympics\!
### 7\. Marit Bjørgen from Norway has won the most medals of any Winter Olympian.
This amazing **cross-country skier** has won a whopping **15 medals**. She secured her title at the **2014 Winter** Olympics, by winning three gold medals\!
### 8\. Snow and ice once had to be brought in by the army\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-5.jpg)
*Innsbruck ski jumping slope without any snow\!*
In **1964**, the Winter Olympics were set to take place in **Innsbruck**, **Austria** â but as the event loomed, the officials realised that there wasnât enough snow! So, the Austrian army headed into the nearby mountains and carted down more than **38,200 cubic metres of snow** and **20,000 blocks of ice**\!
### 9\. Walt Disney was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for one memorable Winter Olympics\!
These took place in the **Squaw Valley**, California, [USA](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/usa-facts/) in **1960**. In a quest to make the opening ceremony the most impressive yet, Disneyâs performance included a whopping **3,700 musicians**, **2,000 doves**, and more than **30,000 balloons**\!
### 10\. Only one person has ever won gold in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-2.jpg)
American Eddie Eagan grabbed a gold medal in **boxing** during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, [Germany](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/country-fact-file-germany/). Then, more than 10 years later, he scored another in the 1932 Winter Olympics, as part of a four-man **bobsled** team. *Wow\!*
## Did you enjoy these Winter Olympics facts? Let us know in the comments below\!
###### All images Š Adobe Stock.
Created with sketchtool.

1,190 Likes
## LEAVE A COMMENT
## THANK YOU
Your comment will be checked and approved shortly.
[Created with sketchtool.](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/general-history/winter-olympics-facts/)
## WELL DONE, YOUR COMMENT HAS BEEN ADDED\!
## COMMENTS1
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#### Adocado
Love nat geo kids i get the magazine every monthâ¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
- 
#### Ads
I'm doing an assignment on the winter Olympics this is perfect for it\!
- 
that was very cool
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#### Kritansh Singh
I love them\!
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#### Girllllllllllll
Brrrilliant facts ngk\!
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#### ella
i loved it iwould love to here more
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#### Grrril
Love it
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#### JAM
I liked these facts it makes me think about going to the Winter Olympics
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#### Marzaiah
These are some cool facts
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#### Me
COOL!!!!\!
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#### Tiggy
Nice facts
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#### monk
SLAYYYYYY
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#### 6 7
I love it
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#### slay
love this !\!
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#### Angel
These facts are awesome to know
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#### ky
thank you this is a very good story;.
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#### jesus
I did enjoy the facts
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#### zelig
hi
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I loved the dog bit
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#### Hedva
I love this
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Wow
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#### mr drake
I live in Africa so I can't participate in the winter Olympic Games but it looks cool\!
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#### katy
it was a very interesting article
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#### nothing
superb
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#### Mayna
COOL\!
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#### Rizz man
Low-key the Winter Olympics is better than the summer Olympics
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I needed 4 winter Olympics facts thees were great
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#### Bella22
Thanks, helped my project. I learned a lot\!
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#### Harvey
It was very very interesting and very inspiring facts
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#### Amber McTier
Really interesting and cool
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slay
- 
AMAZING.!!!!!!!!!!\!
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This is awesome
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cool
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Coolio
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cool\!
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#### sigma
can't wait
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#### charkie
love this\!
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#### Lottie Elvis Mose
Very chilly facts!!!!!\!
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#### Riley
thx you have helped me a lot with my newspaper report
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#### Gurbaaz
AMAZING
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#### pertauna
I love this website its AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!\!
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#### Eileen Gu
Cool I was in the Olympics competing for China
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#### Chad
Interesting facts
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#### Tommy
Awesome\!
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#### Rebecca
Very good facts. It helped me with my project and me and my friend are very intruiged by this information. THANKIESSS \<333333
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#### Tara
those facts are interesting.
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#### Natalie
I love the Summer and Winter Olympics! My fave's are Equestrian Show jumping and Figure Skating\!
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Interesting :)
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#### Emily
Loved it got top marks from my English teacher thanks so much.
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#### mahrosh qamar
very good information
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#### avery
Thank you for the cool facts,now i know some other stuff now i also have an idea for my project.
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#### \#Bluepeterlover634
I Love the winter Olympics.
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cool
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#### Pandaandturtle
These facts are very interesting and I am very intrigued. \#awsome
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#### Franki
Thank you for the facts. I needed them for my olypics project for my school sugermill Elementry. We are Eagles\!
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#### \#puddingcat1114
This is SO awsome! Go Nat Geo\!
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#### Connie
These are really interesting facts\!
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#### dude
wow this is amazing
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#### oliver
nice facts
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#### stripy
I love the WINTER OLYMPICS
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can you do figure skating facts pls?!!!!!!!!!!!!\!
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cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\!
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#### obblobble
very cool 10/10
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I love winter sports
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#### Elleigh
that was very help for my progect
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#### ABEL//
cool
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#### Pharlap1000
cool
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#### Damir
I would like the winter olympics i love snow
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#### Nia thapa
I needed to do a winter Olympics project and these facts were brilliant
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#### Nivedh
Awesome & COOL Facts
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#### mateo
COOL\!
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#### Teagan
So cool
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#### Sofia
cool
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#### jude
thanks
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#### Raelynn
these fact are so helpful for my parigrafe
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#### ElleighSchuetz
that was amasin
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#### Marcus
WOW
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#### Sam
This is really good
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#### Paola
WOW THAT COOL INFORMATION
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#### Lexi martinez
so cool
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#### Anthony
thanks for the information
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#### JContreras22715
it was very fun
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#### YEET!!\!
Good information, i learned a lot.
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#### avery
WOW
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#### felina
super cool
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#### Organicbob
Thank you for all of the information
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#### Hannah
amazing
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#### dylan
amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\!
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#### dylan
thank you so much you helped me on my test!!!!\!
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#### elliot
cool
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#### kim
nice
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#### frede862
WOW
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#### anna
like it
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#### Blah
WOW
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#### Charli
fun
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#### Ryan
Nice
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#### Luca
The winter time is fun
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#### Alyse Rains
I learned a lot and got a lot of information for My quest speech
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#### piggy
Cool facts\!
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#### Ishan
Wow
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#### COOKIE LOVER
WOW SO COOL\!
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#### LaNylei Hedgemon
This was really awsome and this makes me want to be in the winter olympics
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#### Qusai
Nice to know.
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#### lutherlee
Love these fun facts! Great for students Thanks NAT GEO\!
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#### Ruthie
that is so cool!I want to be there in real life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\!
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#### Ash
Cool\!
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#### Emily
i like this and this is awesome\!
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#### Emily
these are coool
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#### Jay
It was pretty good
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WOW
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#### alc12318
this is amazing
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#### Alexander
NICE\!
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#### lix
this is so cool\!
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#### Charlotte McLaren
That was very cool (get it)
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#### Cooper Hopkins
I would choose skijorning because you can play in it with animals. I think it would be really fun because i like the snow. I also like dogs as well and it would be easy to train. I can also use horses which would also be very fun. I like horses and i think it would be exciting to compete with horses. I think i would be good at the Winter Olympics because i know how to ride horses. I also know how to control dogs. I think it would be pretty easy to win. I would be good at riding with horses and would be fast. I also like the cold so i would not have to be slowing down because of the cold.
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#### Eriana Anderson
This is very cool
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wow
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#### Franki
I loved the facts and do some more.
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#### lps kid
cant wait to learn
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#### kinzliejo
wow so cool
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#### emersyn
this is cool
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This is a cool website
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#### Animal
This was really cool and good information
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#### Lex
Cool\!
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#### Charlie
Thank you so much this helped with a school project you are the best website ever also really interesting
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#### Tree
Cool
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#### nice
nice
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#### Ben
wow
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#### Aiden
This is awesome thank you for this lesson\!
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#### BELLA
I LOVE THE OYMPICS
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#### Winter Olympic's
Amazing!!!!!\!
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I love this
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#### sophiathebest9
i love this
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#### achii-blocks123
Wow Excellent\!
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#### Mikey\_22
wow
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#### JOSIAH
i like this parrt cuz i like skiing
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this is cool
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#### lala
amazing
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#### ava
love all the information
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| Readable Markdown | **Grab your skis gang, itâs time for the Winter Olympics! Snow lovers from around the world are gathering for this frosty festival of sport, so letâs check out some Winter Olympics factsâŚ**
> PSSSST\!
>
> The next Winter Olympics are happening from 6-22 February 2026. Donât miss it\!
## Winter Olympics facts
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-4.jpg)
### 1\. All the events at the Winter Olympics take place in snow and ice\!
These frosty competitions include **ice skating**, **skiing**, **snowboarding** and more. Some intrepid athletes venture high into the mountains on amazing **cross-country ski races**, while others compete indoors at **specially-built venues**.
### 2\. The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-3.jpg)
Around **250 athletes** from 16 countries competed in **Chamonix, [France](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/facts-about-france/)**. There were **16 events**, including cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and ice hockey\!
### 3\. The Winter Olympics traditionally take place two years after the Summer Olympics.
But this isnât always the case. When the [Summer Olympic](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/greece/facts-about-the-olympics/) Games of 2020 were moved to 2021 due to the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/general-science/what-is-coronavirus/), the **Beijing Winter Olympics** in [China](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/30-cool-facts-about-china/) followed close behind in 2022\!
### 4\. Animals once participated in the Winter Olympics\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-1.jpg)
While they havenât been invited to join in with official sports, **horses** and **dogs** have both played a role in â**demonstration events**â. Dog-sledding featured in the 1932 Winter Olympics, while in the 1928 Olympics, horses demonstrated **skijoring** â an event that involves athletes being towed on skis behind riderless horses. *Donât try that at home, gang\!*
### 5\. Athletes competing in skeleton bobsleigh hurtle down slopes at up to 140kmph\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-7.jpg)
Sliding on boards the **width of their body**, these athletes balance on their bellies and navigate around **tight turns** on a **hair-raising course** made of ice. *Yikes*\!
### 6\. In the first Winter Olympics, women were only allowed to compete in figure skating.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-6.jpg)
This continued until **1948**, when **skiing** also became a competitive womenâs sport. Thankfully, women can now compete in all sports at the Winter Olympics\!
### 7\. Marit Bjørgen from Norway has won the most medals of any Winter Olympian.
This amazing **cross-country skier** has won a whopping **15 medals**. She secured her title at the **2014 Winter** Olympics, by winning three gold medals\!
### 8\. Snow and ice once had to be brought in by the army\!
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-5.jpg)
*Innsbruck ski jumping slope without any snow\!*
In **1964**, the Winter Olympics were set to take place in **Innsbruck**, **Austria** â but as the event loomed, the officials realised that there wasnât enough snow! So, the Austrian army headed into the nearby mountains and carted down more than **38,200 cubic metres of snow** and **20,000 blocks of ice**\!
### 9\. Walt Disney was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for one memorable Winter Olympics\!
These took place in the **Squaw Valley**, California, [USA](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/usa-facts/) in **1960**. In a quest to make the opening ceremony the most impressive yet, Disneyâs performance included a whopping **3,700 musicians**, **2,000 doves**, and more than **30,000 balloons**\!
### 10\. Only one person has ever won gold in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
[](https://cdn.creatureandcoagency.com/uploads/2022/01/WinterOlympicsFacts-2.jpg)
American Eddie Eagan grabbed a gold medal in **boxing** during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, [Germany](https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/country-fact-file-germany/). Then, more than 10 years later, he scored another in the 1932 Winter Olympics, as part of a four-man **bobsled** team. *Wow\!*
## Did you enjoy these Winter Olympics facts? Let us know in the comments below\!
###### All images Š Adobe Stock.
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| Unparsed URL | com,natgeokids!www,/uk/discover/history/general-history/winter-olympics-facts/ s443 |