January 25, 2023 – 1924 Winter Olympics

On this day in 1924, the very first Winter Olympic games kicked off in Chamonix, France in the French Alps. It was originally called the “International Winter Sports Week” and was held January 25-February 5. It was much smaller than today’s Winter Olympics, with around 250 athletes representing 16 countries competing. The very first gold medal went to an American speed skater, but Norway and Finland dominated the games, winning more medals than the rest of the participating nations combined. Having the Winter and Summer Olympics the same year continued until 1992. The Winter Olympics have been hosted on 3 continents by 13 countries, including 4 times in the U.S. The next Winter Olympic games will be in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo Italy and take place between February 6-22 2026. Learn more here.