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The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXII Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Sochi 2014, was an international winter multi-sport event that was held from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Opening rounds in certain events were held on 6 February 2014, the day before the opening ceremony.
The Closing Ceremony of the 1980 Summer Olympics was held at 19:00 Moscow Time (UTC+3) on 3 August 1980 at the Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium. It was attended by the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party and the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Presidium, Leonid Brezhnev. IOC President Lord Killanin closed the Games for the final time and passed the position on to Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Austria competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team was composed of 132 athletes in 14 sports, consisting of 90 men and 42 women. The 132 athletes is 27 more than the country's previous largest Winter Olympics team.
Azerbaijan competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. Even though all the athletes that competed for Azerbaijan were foreign-born, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation at the Sochi Olympics Kenul Nurullayeva said: "if Azerbaijan is mentioned, at least for three times during the opening ceremony of the Olympics, it will be a big deal for us. What else do we need besides the publicity? We work for this".
The Philippines competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. The country's participation in the games marks the first time a figure skater from Southeast Asia competed in the Games.
Tonga sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was the Pacific island nation's debut at the Winter Olympic Games. The Tongan delegation consisted of one luge athlete, Bruno Banani, who had changed his name in a marketing gimmick to match that of German brand Bruno Banani. In his event, the men's singles, he came in 32nd place out of 39 competitors.
The opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics took place at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia, on 7 February 2014. It began at 20:14 MSK (UTC+4) and finished at 23:02 MSK (UTC+4). It was filmed and produced by OBS and Russian host broadcaster VGTRK. This was the first Winter Olympics and first Olympic Games opening ceremony under the IOC presidency of Thomas Bach. This was also the second consecutive Winter Olympic opening ceremony to be held in an indoor stadium.
2014 Winter Olympics Parade of Nations was part of the opening ceremony at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The national team from each nation participating in the Olympic Games was preceded by their national flag flag bearer into Fisht Olympic Stadium in the host city of Sochi, Russia. The flag bearer was an athlete of each national delegation chosen, to represent the athletes, either by the National Olympic Committee or by the national team.
The closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics was held on 23 February 2014 from 20:14 to 22:25 MSK (UTC+4) at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia. It was designed to show Russian culture, through a European perspective, and featured performances by Yuri Bashmet, Valery Gergiev, Denis Matsuev, Hibla Gerzmava, and Tatiana Samouil, among others.
San Marino sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. This was the country's ninth appearance and the first time a woman was representing the nation at the Winter Olympics. The delegation consisted of three officials and two competitors, alpine skiers Vincenzo Michelotti and Federica Selva. Both of them took part in giant slalom races and were unranked in the competition. Michelotti was disqualified and Selva could not finish her race.
The British Virgin Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was the second Winter Olympic Games appearance for the territory, after the 1984 Winter Olympics. The team consisted of one athlete, the freestyle skier Peter Crook, who became the territory's second Winter Olympian ever. In the men's halfpipe, he came in 27th place.
Kyrgyzstan competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014.
Monaco competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. Monaco's team consisted of five athletes plus one alternate for bobsleigh, competing in two sports.
Luxembourg sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was Luxembourg's eighth appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. The Luxembourgian team consisted of one athlete in cross-country skiing, Kari Peters. In the only event he contested, the men's sprint, he finished in 79th place. He withdrew from the 15 km classical due to illness.
Greece competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. The Greek team consisted of seven athletes in four sports. As the founding nation of the Olympic games and in keeping with tradition, Greece entered first during the opening ceremony.
Tajikistan competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team consisted of one alpine skier, Alisher Qudratov. Qudratov will become nation's second athlete to compete at the Winter Olympics. The team struggled with lack of funding and resources to qualify for the games.
Bermuda sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7–23 February 2014. This was Bermuda's seventh appearance at a Winter Olympic Games, and cross-country skier Tucker Murphy's second consecutive Games as the only athlete. In the 15 kilometre race, he finished in 84th place.
Venezuela competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team consisted of one athlete in alpine skiing. This marks the country's return to the Winter Olympics after missing the previous games four years ago.
Greece sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Greece's third appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. Their only athlete was alpine skier Efthymios Kalaras. He suffered a spinal cord injury two decades before these Paralympics, and was a returning Paralympic silver medalist from the 2004 Summer Paralympics in the discus throw. He finished 22nd in the sitting giant slalom, nearly a minute behind the gold medal time.
During the closing ceremony in Sochi, Russia most of the 88 nations competing selected one member of their delegation to be the flagbearer. Some countries for example, Morocco chose the same athlete as the opening ceremony. On the other hand, some countries such as Luxembourg had already left the Olympic village, and therefore a volunteer carried the flags for those countries.
References
- ↑ Alexandros Kefalas - Greece Archived 2014-02-13 at the Wayback Machine - Sochi 2014 Olympics
- ↑ "Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony - Flagbearers" (PDF). The International Olympic Committee (IOC). February 23, 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
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