In Italy, the countdown to the start of the XXV Winter Olympic Games has begun. The upcoming competitions will be the most geographically spread out in history: the main locations – Milan and the elite resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo – are separated by more than 400 kilometers. The Games will last from February 4 to February 22, and medals will be contested in 16 sports. This is reported by the Associated Press, writes UNN.
Details
The opening ceremony is scheduled for February 6, but the first curling competitions will begin on February 4. Among the most anticipated finals are: February 13 and 19 (figure skating), February 19 (women's ice hockey), and February 22 (men's ice hockey). On the same day, February 19, the first-ever medals in a new Olympic sport – ski mountaineering – will be contested. In total, athletes will compete for 116 gold medals at the Games.
Main intrigues and new names
One of the main storylines will be the return of NHL players to Olympic ice for the first time since 2014. Also in the spotlight are veteran alpine skiers Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, who are showing dominant form at the start of the season.
In addition to the debut of ski mountaineering, the program has been expanded with mixed team skeleton competitions, women's doubles in luge, and super team ski jumping.
The issue of Russian participation and infrastructure
The situation with Russian athletes remains under strict control: individual federations allow only neutral athletes to participate after an independent verification for the absence of support for the war in Ukraine and ties with the Russian armed forces. Regarding infrastructure, the organizers are still completing the hockey arenas in Milan, and in Cortina, a complex of 350 mobile homes has been built for the participants' accommodation.