Winter Olympics: Top 10 facts about the sporting tradition

1. The modern Summer Olympics began in 1896 but the Winter Olympics were only added in 1924. 

2. The 1924 event in Chamonix was run by the French Olympic Committee but only recognised by the International Olympic Committee as official Winter Olympics after they had finished. 

3. There were 16 events at the 1924 Winter Olympics compared with 102 events this year. 

4. Until 1992 Winter Olympics were held in the same year as Summer Games. Since then it has been in years midway between Summer Olympics. 

5. The USA is the only country to have won at least one gold medal in every Winter Olympics… 

6. …but Russia and Norway have both won more Winter Olympic medals and Winter Olympic golds than the USA. 

7. Britain has never won more than one gold medal at a Winter Olympics. Our best medal total is four, at both Chamonix 1924 and Sochi 2014. 

8. Artificial snow was first used in the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980. 

9. 250 athletes from 16 nations were at Chamonix 1924. This year sees 2,952 from 92 countries.

10. No country in the southern hemisphere has ever even applied to host the Winter Olympics.