Winter Olympics 2014 by the numbers: Quickfire fun facts

Fun facts worth knowing about Winter Olympics as the opening ceremony officially took place.

06:04 10 February 2014

1.This is the first winter Olympics hosted by Russia. 

 

2.The 22nd Winter Olympics is the most expensive Olympics ever costing the country around £31 billion.  

 

3.Black sea resort of Sochi is the warmest city ever to host the Winter Olympics. 

 

4.Stretching 90 miles along the shores of the Black Sea, Sochi is believed to be the longest city in Europe.

 

5.A train journey from Moscow to Sochi takes 37 hours. 

 

6.88 nations will participate at the Winter Olympics. 

 

7.Including women’s ski-jumping, there will be twelve events to make their debut at Sochi 2014. 

 

8.Sochi 2014 torch relay is epic with 14,000 torchbearers going into the space via the International Space             Station. 

 

9.Sochi is Maria Sharapova’s former hometown.

 

10.The mascots for the Olympic include leopard, hare, and bear. 

 

11.Norway’s Bjorn Daehlie is the most successful Olympian of all time with eight gold medals and four silvers. 

 

12.Eddie Eagan is the only Olympian to win gold at both Summer and Winter Olympics. 

 

13.USA team’s hi-tech bobsleds were made by BMW.

 

14.The opening ceremony was held inside the Fisht Olympic Stadium.