washingtonpost.com

South Africa made its first appearance at the Winter Games in 1960. It also turned out to be its last for many years, as the policy of apartheid prevented further South African participation in the Olympic Winter Games until 1994. Women's speedskating was added to the program. Biathlon also made its debut. Bobsledding went on a forced hiatus, as the Squaw Valley bobsled course was deemed unsuitable for competition by the International Olympic Committee.

Highlights

American figure skaters once again finished in the top spots in the men's and women's singles events. David Jenkins, the bronze medalist in 1956, won the gold in men's figure skating, while Carol Heiss took the gold in her event. Heiss would later marry Jenkins's older brother, Hayes Jenkins — the gold medalist at the 1956 Games.

Canadians Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul won their country's first gold medal in pairs figure skating. Paul later went on to become the choreographer for future American Olympian figure skaters Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill and Linda Fratianne.

Yevgeny Grishin (USSR) repeated his 1956 success in speedskating by winning the gold in the 500m and 1,500m.

The U.S. hockey team scored a upset by beating the favored Soviet team, 3-2, on its way to the gold medal.

Attendance Male Athletes Female Athletes Most-Medaled U.S. Rank
30 nations 521 144 USSR (21) Second

Source: Knight-Ridder/Tribune


	SITE SEARCH: Search Options