TURIN, Feb. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- The 17th Winter Olympic Games:

    In 1986 the IOC voted to change the schedule of the Olympic Games so that the Summer and Winter Games would be held in different years. To adjust to this new schedule, the Lillehammer Games were held in 1994, the only time that two Games have been staged two years apart. The 1994 Games were extremely well organized and the Norwegian host' natural love of winter sports added a refreshing purity of spirit. Local hero Johann Koss won three speed skating events and set a world record in every one. Vreni Schneider won a complete set of medals in alpine skiing and Manuela Di Centa earned medals in all five cross-country events. Myriam Bedard won both women's individual biathlon races. Gustav Weder and Donat Acklin became the first repeat winners of the two-man bobsled. Pairs skaters Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov returned to repeat their Olympic victory of 1988.

    Numbers:

    67 NOCs

    1,737 athletes (522 women, 1, 215 men)

    61 events

    9,054 volunteers

    6,633 media (2,615 written press, 4,018 broadcasters) Enditem