Skeleton at the Winter Olympics | |
---|---|
IOC Discipline Code | SKN |
Governing body | IBSF |
Events | 3 (men: 1; women: 1; mixed: 1) |
Games | |
Skeleton is a winter sport featured in the Winter Olympics where the competitor rides head-first and prone (lying face down) on a flat sled. It is normally run on an ice track that allows the sled to gain speed by gravity. It was first contested at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz and again in 1948 Winter Olympics, after which it was discontinued as an Olympic sport.
In October 1999, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) added the discipline to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics sports program, with both men's and women's events, and has been held in each Winter Olympic competition since. [1] In June 2022, the IOC added a third event, the mixed team, to the sports program at the 2026 Winter Olympics. [2] [3]
Skeleton is so-named as the first metal sleds introduced in 1892 were said to resemble a human skeleton. The sport is similar to, but not to be confused with, luge, another form of sled racing where the competitor rides on the back and feet-first. Often using the same courses, the racing physics are not identical.
Event | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 22 | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's skeleton | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Women's skeleton | • | • | • | • | • | • | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total events | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Sources (after the 2022 Winter Olympics): [4]
Accurate as of 2022 Winter Olympics.
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | United States | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
2 | Great Britain | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
3 | Germany | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
4 | Canada | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
5 | Russia | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
7 | Italy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
South Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
9 | Latvia | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
10 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Austria | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
13 | China | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Totals (14 entries) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
Numbers indicate the number of skeleton racers each nation sent to each respective edition of the games.
Nation | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 22 | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Argentina | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Australia | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Austria | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Belgium | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Bermuda | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Brazil | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Canada | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
China | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Croatia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech Republic | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
France | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Germany | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Ghana | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Great Britain | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Greece | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ireland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Israel | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Italy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Jamaica | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Japan | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Latvia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Lebanon | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Mexico | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
New Zealand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Nigeria | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Norway | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Athletes from Russia | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Poland | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Puerto Rico | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Romania | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
ROC | 6 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Russia | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Slovenia | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
South Africa | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
South Korea | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Spain | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Switzerland | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
United States | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Virgin Islands | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Nations | 6 | 6 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 24 | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
Skeleton racers | 10 | 15 | 39 | 42 | 48 | 47 | 50 | 50 |
Bobsleigh or Bobsled is a team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, also known as FIBT from the French Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing. National competitions are often governed by bodies such as the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, and the German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation.
Skeleton is a winter sliding sport in which a person rides a small sled, known as a skeleton bobsled, down a frozen track while lying face down and head-first. The sport and the sled may have been named from the bony appearance of the sled.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), originally known by the French name Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT), is the international sports federation for bobsleigh and skeleton. It acts as an umbrella organization for 14 national bobsleigh and skeleton associations as of 2007. It was founded on 23 November 1923 by the delegates of Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States at the meeting of their first International Congress in Paris, France. In June 2015, it announced a name change from FIBT to IBSF. The federation's headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.
South Korea competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, from 9 to 25 February 2018, as the host nation. It was represented by 122 competitors in all 15 disciplines.
Czech Republic competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 93 competitors in 13 sports. They won seven medals in total: two gold, two silver and three bronze, ranking 14th in the medal table.
Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) was the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) designation of select Russian athletes permitted to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The designation was instigated following the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee after the Russian doping scandal. This was the second time that Russian athletes had participated under the neutral Olympic flag, the first being in the Unified Team of 1992.
Germany competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 153 competitors in 14 sports. They won 31 medals in total, 14 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze, ranking second in the medal table after Norway at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Germany excelled in ice track events, biathlon, Nordic combined and Ski jumping. The men's ice hockey team took a silver medal, having lost a closely contested final to Olympic Athletes from Russia.
Austria competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 105 competitors in 12 sports. They won 14 medals in total: five gold, three silver and six bronze; ranking 10th in the medal table.
France competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 106 competitors in 11 sports. They won 15 medals in total, five gold, four silver and six bronze, ranking 9th in the medal table.
Italy competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 120 competitors in 14 sports. They won ten medals in total, three gold, two silver and five bronze, ranking 12th in the medal table. Short-track speed skater Arianna Fontana, who was also the flag bearer at the opening ceremony, was the country's most successful athlete, having won three medals, one of each color.
Ukraine competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 33 competitors in 9 sports. Oleksandr Abramenko won the only medal for the country, a gold in men's aerials freestyle skiing, earning Ukraine the 21st place in the overall medal table.
Latvia competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 34 competitors in 9 sports. They won one bronze medal in two-man bobsleigh and ranked 28th in the medal table.
Romania competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 27 competitors in 8 sports.
Belgium competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 22 competitors in 9 sports. They won one silver medal, the country's first Winter Olympic medal since 1998, ranking 25th in the medal table.
Jamaica competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with three competitors in two sports.
Canada competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022. Canada has competed at all 24 editions of the Winter Olympics.
Belgium competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
South Korea competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
Monaco competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
Jamaica competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
Media related to Skeleton at the Olympics at Wikimedia Commons