Winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998 - the eighteenth in a row - to become a world sport truly iconic.It was the eve of the Games in Japan, the UN General Assembly in its resolution for the first time in the history of the de facto encouraged States to suspend not only international but even internal conflicts.Finally, the "earned" more well-known from the annals of ancient Greece unwritten ban on war at a time when the Olympics is held.
Nagano - medal standings
Olympics in Nagano in 2338 took the athletes, of which 810 - are women.She became the most massive in the number of participants and countries.Total Japan arrived athletes from seventy-two countries that competed in fourteen sports and sixty-eight disciplines.For the first time the Olympic Games in Nagano was playing curling medals: two sets - for men and women.Debut of the game were for such competitions in snowboarding, as the giant slalom race and held in polutrube.Of the seventy-two countries fighting for the prizes, only twenty-four were successful, having received two hundred and five medals.
In the overall highest number of awards, which played the Olympic Games in Nagano, won by athletes from Germany: on their account was twenty-nine awards, including twelve gold, nine silver and eight bronze.Norwegians were second with twenty-five, and the third - the Russians with eighteen medals.
first time in Nagano
last Winter Games of the century became a bridge to the future.It Olympics in Nagano opened the way for sports such as snowboarding, without which the modern world competition of this magnitude is difficult to imagine, for some exotic curling and women's hockey light version.These games have passed the first test Klapy having coming off the heel and sent to the archive records of the previous book.And the athletes and spectators really struck new skates that have been developed by the Dutch and introduced Canadians.The idea of them as all genius, was simple: the creators decided to no longer firmly attach the blade to the boot, and vice versa - make it mobile.It is this small revolution, and was the reason that they fell all previous records and tables had to be over.
the first time on Japanese soil was tested surprisingly robust and durable Kevlar equipment.Two weeks of the audience watched the Olympics took place in Nagano 1998.Hockey, in which for the first time in the history of games played by professionals from the NHL, collecting chock full of stadiums.
Olympics in Nagano became the first, which had been organized competitions in ice hockey among women.Become American champion, in second place was Team Canada and won the bronze medal Finnish team.Games in 1998 were a step forward for the White Olympics, whose popularity from year to year more and more inferior analog summer, and largely because of the lack of new types of competition.However, the prevalence of debutants still not call up to become a competition of this level.And the ability to get the bat into the icy goal and hockey among women, and driving on the snow board is increasingly practiced by only a few countries in the world.And their presence on such a large sports forum like the Olympics in Nagano, due, oddly enough, it is only entertainment.
Olympics Mascots 1998
Wise Japanese as mascots chosen four "snouletov": these were the mascots of the Games as the owl Sukkah, Zucchi, Knokke and Lecco.Snowlets word formed from two roots: snow - «Snow," and let's - «let us."And since the games are held every four years, and the mascot consisted of four owls whose names were chosen from nearly fifty thousand ideas and suggestions received from the sport lovers.
logo
No less interesting was the emblem.The Olympic Games in Nagano was presented flower petals on which depicted athletes - representatives of a winter sport.The logo was similar and with snowflake which symbolizes the Olympic Winter Games.And she was associated with mountain flower.Thus, the Japanese are big fans of ecology, focusing on their respect for nature and environmental issues in Nagano Prefecture.The dynamic appearance of this colorful and vibrant posters, according to experts, is a testament to the atmosphere of enthusiasm in which the games are held at the same time symbolizing their splendor.
Olympics in Nagano - hockey
final competition of this kind has been named the press' tournament dreams. "For the first time in the history of Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, hockey is represented and members of the NHL - the strongest players in the world, this has been advertised the richest league.Just before the start of the Games Guide the NHL held in Japan three exhibition matches.This was done to instill Japanese interest in hockey.After that, according to rumors, impressionable Asians - home of the Olympics - literally "sick" game with the puck and stick.Although the rules are understood with great difficulty, but the atmosphere in the stadium maintained very effectively.
NHL Leaders understand that the participation of stars of this magnitude once again will advertise this transatlantic championship.In addition, the Americans and the Canadians thought that they would be able to repeat the World Cup finals of 1996 and in the final match they will meet.However, due to the Czechs North American "masters" of ice left Nagano, not even won "bronze".In the finals, Russia and the Czech Republic.However, our compatriots could not in the final match of the "print" gates Hasek.Moreover, in the third period, the Russians missed the puck rather insulting, and as a result won the silver medal.
success of Russian athletes
known that the cross-country skiing are the main winter Olympics.And so it has always paid much attention.In 1998, Larissa Lazutina, already a two-time Olympic champion in the relay race, won the silver medal in the individual race at fifteen kilometers in classical style.Gold also got her compatriot Olga Danilova.A team of Russian girls - NA Gavrilyuk O. Daniel, E. and L. Vyalbe LOA - re pleased their fans by winning the relay race 4 to 5 kilometers.
defend the honor of the Russian sports came brothers Bure, Alexei Zhamnov, Alexei Yashin, Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Kovalenko and Sergei Fedorov.With these guys, and Fuji was on the shoulder, and the Sea of Japan on the knee, and the forces of the Olympic Games in Nagano.Figure skating has been presented quite a powerful team, but the audience was most impressed surprisingly complex and net program Ilya Kulik won the "gold".
Interesting facts
not done at the Olympic Games in 1998, the year without scandals.Angry its failure, the US hockey team players staged a brawl, broken furniture in their rooms in the sports village, thereby causing the organizers of the competition, not only material but also moral damage.
Surprisingly, the most "Russian" of all the teams in Nagano was the national team of Kazakhstan.The Russian team was in the structure of one of the Ukrainians and Lithuanians, while the Central Asian country has sent to the Games only ethnic Russian.
main surprise of the competition was in Nagano earthquake measuring five points, which was the twentieth of February.Fortunately, none of the participants and the audience was not injured.In ice dancing became double Olympic champions Oksana Grischuk with Evgeny Platov of Russia.Only after the final victory speech revealed that partner dancing with a broken wrist.
Olympics Closing
farewell ceremony to the Games, as well as opening, accompanied by fireworks.It was rare for its beauty fireworks - five thousand tall charges soared into the night sky in just eight minutes.Participants say that just flew by and fleeting Winter Olympics in Nagano - one of the most emotional in the history of the World Games.The competition of this magnitude took place in Japan, and just could not hit the scientific and technical novelties, worthy of the coming twenty-first century.Land of the Rising Sun has repeatedly impressed the world with their technology was no exception and the Olympics in Nagano in 1998.
