1968 Winter Olympics
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| X Olympic Winter Games | |
 The emblem represents a snow crystal and |
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| Host city | Grenoble, France |
| Nations participating | 37 |
| Athletes participating | 1158 (947 men, 211 women) |
| Events | 35 in 6 sports |
| Opening ceremony | February 6 |
| Closing ceremony | February 18 |
| Officially opened by | Charles de Gaulle |
| Athlete's Oath | Léo Lacroix (alpine skiing) |
| Olympic Torch | Alain Calmat (figure skating) |
| Stadium | Stade Lesdiguières |
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in 1968 Grenoble, France and opened on February 6. Thirty-seven countries participated. Norway won the most medals, the first time a country other than the USSR had done so since the USSR first entered the Winter Games in 1956.
Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy won three gold medals in all the alpine skiing events. In women's figure skating, Peggy Fleming won the only United States gold medal. The games have been credited with making the Winter Olympics more popular in the United States, not least of which because of ABC's extensive coverage of Fleming and Killy, who became overnight sensations among teenage girls.
The year 1968 marked the first time the IOC first permitted East and West Germany to enter separately, and the first time the IOC ever ordered drug and gender testing of competitors.
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[edit] Highlights
- Grenoble 1968 is the first Olympiad to adopt a mascot, albeit unofficially. "Schuss", the mascot, is a styled skier. [1]
- Norway came away from the games with the highest amount of medals with 6 gold 6 silver and 2 bronze.
- In the downhill skiing event Jean-Claude Killy won the gold medal with a time of 1:59.85.
[edit] Venues
- City venues
- Opening Stadium (Stade Inaugural) - opening ceremonies
- Speed Circuit¹ (L'Anneau de Vitesse) - speed skating
- Ice Stadium¹ (Le Stade de Glace) - ice hockey, figure skating, closing ceremonies
- Municipal Skating Rink² (La Patinoire Municipale) - ice hockey
- Mountain venues
- Casserousse - men's alpine skiing
- Recoin de Chamrousse - women's alpine skiing
- Autrans - cross-country skiing, biathlon
- Bobsleigh Run¹ (Piste de Bobsleigh), Alpe-d'Huez - bobsleigh
- Toboggan Run¹ (Piste de Luge), Villard-de-Lans - luge
- 70-meter Ski Jump¹ (Tremplin de 70 Mètres), Autrans - ski jumping
- 90-meter Ski Jump¹ (Tremplin de 90 Mètres), Saint-Nizier - ski jumping
¹ New facilities constructed in preparation for the Olympic Games.
² Existing facilities modified or refurbished in preparation for the Olympic Games.
[edit] Medal winners
[edit] Participating nations
A total of 37 nations sent athletes to compete at these Games. Morocco competed at the Winter Games for the first time in Grenoble. East Germany and West Germany sent independent teams to the Games for the first time.
[edit] Medal count
These are the top ten nations that won medals at the 1968 Winter Games.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Norway |
6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 |  Soviet Union |
5 | 5 | 3 | 13 |
| 3 |  France (host nation) |
4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 |  Italy |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 |  Austria |
3 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
| 6 |  Netherlands |
3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 7 |  Sweden |
3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 8 |  West Germany |
2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 9 |  United States |
1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 10 |  East Germany |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
 Finland |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Sports • Medal counts • NOCs Medalists • Symbols |
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| Summer Games: 1896, 1900, 1904, 19061, 1908, 1912, (1916)2, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940)2, (1944)2, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 |
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| Winter Games: 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940)2, (1944)2, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 | ||
| Recent and Upcoming Games Athens 2004 — Turin 2006 — Beijing 2008 — Vancouver 2010 — London 2012 |
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