TURIN, Feb. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- The 15th Winter Olympic Games:

    For the first time, the Winter Olympics were extended to 16 days, including three weekends. The Alpine events were expanded from three to five with the inclusion of the super giant slalom and the Alpine combined. Team events were added in Nordic combinedand ski jumping. Jumper Matti Nykanen took advantage of this new programme to win three gold medals. The speed skating races were held indoors. Yvonne van Gennip surprised the favourites with three victories. Christa Rothenburger won the 1,000m. Seven monthslater she earned a silver medal in cycling to become the only athlete ever to win medals in the Winter and Summer Olympics in the same year. Figure skater Katarina Witt defended her Olympic title, while on the men's side Brian Boitano edged Brian Orser in an extremely close decision. Charismatic skier Alberto Tomba made his first Olympic appearance, winning both the giant slalom and the slalom.

    Numbers:

    57 NOCs

    1,423 athletes (301 women, 1,122 men)

    46 events

    9,498 volunteers

    6,838 media (2,477 written press, 4,361 broadcasters) Enditem