Although the first official Winter Games were held at Chamonix in 1924, figure skating for men, women and pairs were held at the 1908 Summer Games, and Ice hockey was played at the 1920 Summer Games.
CHAMONIX - FRANCE 1924
No Australians competed Events introduced : Nordic Skiing - men's 15000m, men's 50000m; Speed skating - men's 500m, men's 1500m, men's 5000m, men's 10000m
ST MORITZ - SWITZERLAND 1928
No Australians competed
Discontinued events : Tobogganing - skeleton sled was held only in 1928 and 1948
LAKE PLACID - USA 1932
No Australians competed
Events introduced : Bobsledding - 2-man bob, 4-man bob
GARMISCH - GERMANY 1936
First Australian Winter Olympian and only member of the Australian team was Kenneth George Kennedy who competed in speed skating
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - men's 4 x 10000m relay; Alpine combination for men and women
ST MORITZ - SWITZERLAND 1948
No Australians competed
Events introduced : Alpine skiing - men & women's downhill, men & women's slalom
Discontinued events : Alpine combination held only in 1936, 1948 & 1988; Tobogganing - skeleton sled was held only in 1928 and 1948
OSLO - NORWAY 1952
Australia had 9 competitors. The best Australian performer was Adrian Swan who was placed 10th in the men's Figure Skating. Australia competed in the cross-country skiing, figure skating and alpine skiing for the first time.
Events introduced : Alpine skiing - giant slalom for men & women; Nordic skiing - women's 10000m
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO - ITALY 1956
Australia had 10 competitors. The best Australian performer was Colin Hickey who was placed 7th in the 500m and 7th in the 1500m speed skating.
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - men's 30000m and women's 4 x 5000m
SQUAW VALLEY - USA 1960
Australia had 31 competitors. This was the first and only time Australia competed in ice hockey. The most successful Australian performance was by Figure Skating pair Jacqueline Mason and Mervyn Bower who were placed 12th.
Events introduced : Nordic Skiing - Biathlon 20000m for men; Speed Skating - Women's 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m
Events not held : Bobsledding - 2-man bob and 4-man bob were not held in 1960
INNSBRUCK - AUSTRIA 1964
Australia had 6 competitors, all in Alpine Skiing. Australian men's team captain, Ross Milne was fatally injured at the Games while practising. Most successful Australian competitor was Christine Smith who was placed 27th in the downhill.
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - 5000m women; Lugeing - Men & women's single, men's 2-man luge
GRENOBLE - FRANCE 1968
Australia had 3 competitors. Malcolm Milne was Australia's most successful competitor being placed 24th in both the downhill and the slalom.
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - Biathlon relay 4 x 7500m
SAPPORO - JAPAN 1972
Australia had 4 competitors. Australia's most successful competitor was Colin Coates who was placed 18th in the 10000m speed skating.
INNSBRUCK - AUSTRIA 1976
Australia had 8 competitors. Colin Coates improved his performance from the previous Olympics to be placed 11th in the 1000m, 10th in the 5000m, 8th in the 1500m and 6th in the 10000m speed skating.
Events introduced : Ice dance; Speed skating - men's 1000m
LAKE PLACID - USA 1980
Australia had 10 competitors. The most successful Australian competitors were the brother and sister figure skating pair of Elizabeth and Peter Cain, who were placed 11th.
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - biathlon 10000m
SARAJEVO - YUGOSLAVIA 1984
Australia had 11 competitors. Australia first competed in the biathlon.
Events introduced : Nordic skiing - women's 20000m
CALGARY - CANADA 1988
Australia had 17 competitors. Australia's first appearance in the bobsleigh event.
Events introduced : Speed skating - women's 3000m; Alpine skiing - Super giant slalom for men and women; Alpine combination held for the first time since 1948
ALBERTVILLE - FRANCE 1992
Australia had 24 competitors, the most successful individual in an event being Nick Cleaver who was placed 11th in the freestyle skiing moguls. Australia competed for the first time in the Luge.
Events introduced : short track speed skating relay; Cross-country skiing - 2x15km for men ; 2x10km for women; Women compete in the biathlon; Freestyle skiing (moguls)
LILLEHAMMER - NORWAY 1994
Winter Olympics held after only a two-year gap. To alternated Summer and Winter Olympic Games the Olympics will no longer be held in the same year, there will be two years between the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Australia had 27 competitors, with five athletes being placed in the top ten of their event, and fifteen athletes being placed in the top twenty. The Men's 5000 metres relay team (Steven Bradbury, Kieran Hansen, Richard Nizielski, Andrew Murtha, John Kah-Reserve) won Australia's first Winter Olympics medal when they were placed third in their event.
Events introduced : Freestyle skiing (aerials)
NAGANO - JAPAN 1998
Australia had 25 competitors in 8 sports. Zali Steggall won the bronze medal in the Women’s Slalom Skiing. It was Australia’s second medal at the Winter Olympics and its first alpine skiing medal.
Top 15 performances besides Zali Steggall included Stephen Carr and Danielle McGrath (13th in the Pairs Skating, Joanne Carter (12th in the Women’s Singles Skating) and Kirstie Marshall (14th Freestyle Skiing Aerials).
Events introduced : Curling (Men and Women), Snowboarding (Giant Slalom and Halfpipe for Men and Women) and Ice Hockey (Women) 14 sports and 68 events.
SALT LAKE CITY - USA 2002 (coming soon)
Copyright © Australian Sports Commission