max hitchins

The Winter Olympic Games officially began in 1924, but their roots go back even further.

For many years, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), founded by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894, focused only on summer sports. Yet the appeal of winter sports like figure skating, ice hockey, ski jumping, and cross-country skiing continued to grow-especially in countries with strong alpine and Nordic traditions.

By the early 20th century, figure skating and ice hockey had made brief appearances in the Summer Olympics (1908 and 1920). However, athletes and sports officials began pushing for a separate international event to properly showcase cold-weather disciplines.

Their calls were answered when, in 1924, the IOC-in partnership with the French Olympic Committee-organized what was initially called International Winter Sports Week in the alpine town of Chamonix, France. Although it was not originally branded as the first Winter Olympics, the success of the event led the IOC to retroactively recognize it as the #I Olympic Winter Games.

Sixteen nations took part, with around 258 athletes (245 men and 13 women) competing in six sports and 16 events. The Games included speed skating, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping, bobsleigh, curling, and ice hockey.

By way of comparison, here are the key figures for the 2026 Winter Olympics: 93 nations are expected to participate with over 3,500 athletes competing. The Games will feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines within 8 sports. Notably, the 2026 Winter Olympics will introduce Ski Mountaineering as a new Olympic sport, marking its debut in the Games.

Australia first competed at the Winter Olympics in 1936, beginning a determined quest for success on ice and snow. For more than sixty years, medals were scarce - just two bronze - until everything changed at Salt Lake City 2002.

There, Steven Bradbury claimed Australia’s first Winter Olympic gold, and Alisa Camplin followed with another - two unforgettable triumphs that inspired a nation.

As Milano-Cortina 2026 approaches, a new generation of Australians will again chase winter gold.