Since as far back as Ancient Greece, there have been Olympic games. Despite this, the first modern one was in 1896, and it was a smash success. Because of the incredible turnout for the quadrennial games, at the seventh Olympic Congress on June 5, 1921, Olympic Committee members suggested the idea of a winter variation on the beloved sporting event, potentially inspired by the Nordic Games—a sporting competition between Scandinavian countries. The first Winter Olympics was held in 1924, taking place in the French Alps at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. It was called the “Winter Sports Week”, rather than true Olympic games, and only had sixteen events in the lineup, with women only being permitted to participate in figure skating. Figure skating, along with ice hockey, were the most popular events, with fan-favorite competitors like Sonia Henje and thrilling competitions, such as the United States versus Canada. With 10,000 spectators, the Olympic Committee later renamed it to the first Winter Olympic Games in anticipation of future success.
In 1928, the Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, hosted nearly double the number of athletes, demonstrating the continually increasing popularity of winter sports. The 1936 games are a source of controversy, as they were hosted in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime. As the years progressed, the Winter Olympics continued to grow, expanding its sport offerings from 16 events all the way to 116 in this year’s Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Milan, beginning February 6th and hosting nearly a hundred nations, a long way from the original sixteen that the Olympics started out with. This year marks the debut of ski mountaineering, a sport combining uphill climbing and downhill skiing. Many formidable athletes will be competing throughout this large number of sports. Ice hockey teams will be full of talent, as National Hockey League players are allowed to compete–something that has not been allowed for the past two Olympics. Team Canada boasts legends like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, joined by young talents such as Macklin Celebrini. In the figure skating world, American Alysa Liu makes her return to the sport, after competing at just 16 years old in 2022’s Olympics, and winning the 2025 World Championships gold medal. Ilia Malinin will also be competing for the United States, boasting his unrivaled ability for quad jumps and on-ice backflips. 40-year-old skier Lindsey Vonn is competing in her fifth Olympics, being the only American woman ever to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing. These talented athletes will be continuing to innovate in their sports, establishing new legacies of excellence.
