The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.
Hannah Teter is an American snowboarder. She is an Olympic champion, having won the gold medal in halfpipe at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy and silver at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. She also won bronze at the 2005 FIS World Championships at Whistler, British Columbia, and has six World Cup victories in her career. In January 2010, Teter was named to the US Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She won the silver medal in women's halfpipe at the Vancouver Games. Teter came in fourth at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Finland first participated at the Olympic Games in 1908, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games and every Winter Olympic Games since then. Finland was also the host nation for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Finnish athletes have won a total of 302 medals at the Summer Games, mostly in athletics and wrestling. Finland has also won 162 medals at the Winter Games, mostly in nordic skiing events.
Canada hosted and participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada previously hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Canada sent a team of 206 athletes, including participants in all 15 sports, and finished with 14 gold medals and 26 in total, surpassing their previous best medal performance at the 2006 Winter Olympics. The 14 gold medals also set the all-time record for most gold medals at a single Winter Olympics, one more than the previous record of 13 set by the former Soviet Union in 1976 and Norway in 2002. Canada was the first host nation to win the gold medal count at a Winter Olympics since Norway at the 1952 Winter Olympics.
Estonia competed at the XXI Olympic Winter Games in 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. These games are the eighth Winter Olympics games for Estonia.
The United States participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The U.S. team had a historic Winter Games, winning an unprecedented 37 medals. Team USA's medal haul, which included nine gold, marked the first time since the 1932 Lake Placid Games that the U.S. earned more medals than any other participant.
Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and sent a team of selected athletes was officially known as Team GB. The team was made up of athletes from the whole United Kingdom including Northern Ireland, whose athletes may elect to hold Irish citizenship, allowing them to represent either Great Britain or Ireland. Additionally some British overseas territories compete separately from Britain in Olympic competition.
Russia participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
China participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sending its largest delegation at a Winter Olympics with 94 athletes. China had its best ever Winter Olympics medal finish, winning five gold medals and eleven in total, finishing seventh in the medal standings.
Italy participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Poland participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Israel has participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which occurred from February 12–28, 2010. This was the fifth time Israel took part in the Winter Olympics. The Israeli delegation consisted of alpine skier Mykhaylo Renzhyn and ice dancing duo Alexandra Zaretsky and Roman Zaretsky. Tamar Katz qualified, but the Israeli National Olympic Committee (NOC) did not permit her to compete. They did not bring home a medal during these Olympics.
Finland participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The Czech Republic participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sending 92 participants, the largest Czech team ever to appear at the Winter Olympics. The Czechs competed in the majority of events, except curling, skeleton and women's ice hockey. Hockey player Jaromír Jágr served as flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Colombia competed in the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
Canada competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from February 7 to 23, 2014. Canadians competed in every discipline except Nordic combined.
Australia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014. Australia's team consisted of 60 athletes competing in 11 sports, which represented the largest Winter Olympics team the country had ever sent.
Hungary competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018. With the men's 5000 metre relay victory in short track speed skating, the nation had won its first ever Winter Olympic gold, and first Winter medal since 1980. Hungarian athletes have participated in all Winter Olympic Games.
Spain competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018.
The Kingdom of Denmark is a sovereign state comprising three constituent countries: Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands that competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with 17 competitors in 5 sports. On January 9, 2018, speed skater Elena Møller Rigas was named as the country's flagbearer during the opening ceremony.
