A look back at China’s history in the Olympics

World Today

A look back at China’s history in the Olympics

When France held the first Winter Olympics in 1924, there were only five sports: bobsledding, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing and skating. China has won medals in only five of the current 15 Winter Olympic sports. Most of the golds and half of the medals have come in short-track speed skating. The games were held every four years from 1924 until 1936, before they were interrupted by World War II. Wang Tongxuan filed this report.

Highlights:

  • China competed in its first Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, New York in 1980.
  • Chinese athlete Ye Qiaobo became the country’s first Winter Olympics medalist at the 1992 games in Albertville, France when she won silver in both the 500m and 1,000m speed skating.
  • China won its first gold medal at Salt Lake City in 2002 when Yang Yang broke the woman’s 500 meter Short Track Speed Skating world record.
  • At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, three more gold medals were added to the tally.