Let The Winter Games Begin!

After a lengthy four-year wait, this February 7th will mark the opening of the XXII 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Ever-growing in popularity, the event promises to be the biggest winter Olympics ever, with an expanded 15 disciplines and 7 new Olympic sports being added to the exhibit’s roster including; Women’s Ski Jumping, Team Relay Luge, Snowboard Slope Style, Ski Half Pipe and more.

Press Rewind

Amazingly, there have only been 20 winter Olympic Games thus far, yet each has had its share of historical significance. For example, did you know that the first winter Olympic Games were held in France in 1924 and only 16 nations and 285 athletes competed there? Even more remarkable, the Games were actually called The International Winter Sports Week, lasted only 11 days, and were originally celebrated as a religious festival.

Golden Girls!

Some other interesting factoids about the winter Olympics that have helped shape them to be the global spectacle that they are today include:

• Only 11 women competed in the first winter Olympic Games.
• Vonetta Flowers was the first African-American to ever win a Gold Medal at the winter Olympics. She won in 2002 as part of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Bobsled Team.
• The first and only athlete to ever win in a winter and summer Olympics was a female named, Christa Luging-Rothenburger. She won in 1988 for both speed skating and cycling.
• Women did not compete in any Olympics games - in general - until 1912.

Couch Potato Halfpipe

While your favorite Olympiads will be working hard to bring home the gold this year, you best get comfy on your couch. Because, while each Olympics promises to be more exhilarating than the last, this year’s larger lineup will make it a record breaker in its own right.

The XXII 2014 Winter Olympic Games will air on NBC from February 6th through the 23rd, with a pre-taping of the opening ceremonies airing at 7:30pm EST on Friday night, February 7th. Be sure to check your local listings for channel information.