We’re not getting an Olympics Games this year (apparently it’s happening next year regardless of how the state of the pandemic by then). But while I was filling the void, I came across a few Winter Olympics films on YouTube and Lillehammer 1994.
I’ve always preferred the Winter version. It’s a different beast and I get more excited for the events than the Summer Olympics. You have ice hockey, skiiing, snowboarding, speed and figure skating, and bobsled amongst others. The games in Lillehammer marked the first time a Winter Olympics Games was held 2 years after the Summer one and one of the few times it was held in a town rather than a city.
Some of Lillehammer’s biggest moments included:
- Norway sweeping the medals at the men’s combined alpine skiing.
- Alberto Tomba won his fifth and final Olympic medal in the alpine skiiing.
- Nancy Kerrigan taking silver in ladies’ singles after the infamous Tonya Harding attack. Oksana Baiul won Ukraine’s first gold at the Olympics since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- Johann Olav Koss won three speed skating events.
- Kim Yoon-Mi became the youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist at 13.
- Sweden beat Canada in a penalty shootout in the ice hockey final.
- Masahiko Harada missing out on gold with his last jump in the ski jumping
It was a friendly and peaceful games for the most part (*cough* Tonya Harding) and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.