This past week was the start of the 2018 winter Olympics, which marks the 47th winter Olympic games since 1924 in the French Alps. Back when the Olympics first began, only Scandinavian countries competed, and it was held in Sweden every time. They were called the Nordic Games, and were only limited to Swedish competitors. Unlike the summer Olympic games, the winter games are held every two years instead of every four years. The very first winter games were in Charmonix, France. They consisted of 258 athletes, with 247 men and only 11 women. There were a total of 18 events to compete in, compared to the 102 events that we currently have. There are 15 different sports that you can choose from, including bobsledding, figure skating, skiing and many more. Melissa Cerimovic, ‘19 said, “I always watch the Olympics every four years but sometimes forget about the winter games. This year I made sure to watch it though because I heard there were some really good competitors up against each other.” The winter games always have something exciting and new to offer every time they come around, and with going from 18 events to 102, I think it’s safe to say that the winter Olympic games have come a very long way over the years. The founder of the Olympic games, Pierre de Coubertin, said that, “The most important thing in the olympic games is not winning but taking part, the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”