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XII Olympics
Two Olympic flames burned brightly at Innsbruck; one each was lit for the Austrian city's host roles in 1964 and 1976. Denver was originally the odds-on favorite to be host to the 1976 Games, but concerns about the financial cost of the Games, the possible environmental effect and concerns over a negative effect on the state's winter tourism prompted the local population to reject hosting the Games through a referendum. |
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- VITAL STATS
Attendance: 37 nations
Male athletes: 900
Female athletes: 228
Most-medaled country: USSR (27)
U.S. rank: 3rd (tied)
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- HIGHLIGHTS
ï Figure skater Dorothy Hamill (USA) charmed a world audience with her gold medal performance. Her coach, Carlo Fassi, also lent his expertise to the men's gold medal champion, British figure skater John Curry.
ï German fans got caught up in "Rosi fever," as 25-year-old Alpine skier Rosi Mittermaier's (W. Germany) victories in the downhill and slalom, and silver in the giant slalom, made her an instant national hero.
ï In a sport traditionally dominated by Scandinavian athletes, Bill Koch (USA) won America's first Olympic Nordic cross-country skiing medal, taking the silver in the 30km cross-country event.
ï Figure skating team Ludmilla Pakhomova and Aleksndr Gorskov (USSR) became the first gold medal winners in ice dancing.
ï The Soviet ice hockey team won its fourth consecutive gold medal in Olympic Winter competition.
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