1998 Nagano Winter Olympics

Also called: XVIII Olympic Winter Games, 1998 Winter Olympics

Games at Nagano, Japan, the first with more than 2,000 athletes, at which snowboarding, curling and women’s ice hockey became Olympic sports.

More than 2,000 athletes from 72 nations took part from 7 to 22 February. Snowboarding, curling and women’s ice hockey joined the programme, and players from the North American professional league (NHL) took part in the ice hockey for the first time; the Czech Republic won. In short track, South Korea’s Chun Lee-kyung retained the women’s 1000 m and won the women’s 3000 m relay again, bringing her Olympic golds to four, and Kim Dong-sung won the men’s 1000 m.