1960 Winter Olympics facts for kids
| Host city | Squaw Valley, United States | ||
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| Nations | 30 | ||
| Athletes | 665 (521 men, 144 women) | ||
| Events | 27 in 4 sports (8 disciplines) | ||
| Opening | 18 February | ||
| Closing | 28 February | ||
| Opened by | |||
| Cauldron |
Ken Henry
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| Stadium | Blyth Arena | ||
| Winter | |||
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| Summer | |||
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The 1960 Winter Olympics, also known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a big international sports event. They took place in 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. This area is near the beautiful Lake Tahoe.
Squaw Valley was chosen to host the Games in 1955. This was a huge deal for the small resort.
Alexander Cushing, who created the Squaw Valley resort, worked very hard to get the Games there. After Squaw Valley was picked, there was a lot of work to do. They had to build new roads, hotels, restaurants, and bridges. They also built an ice arena, a speed skating track, ski lifts, and a ski jumping hill. Everything was ready just in time for the athletes to arrive!
 Olympic Games |
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| Summer Games: 1896, 1900, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1912, (1916), 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940), (1944), 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028 |
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| Winter Games: 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, (1940), (1944), 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 | ||
| Athens 2004 — Turin 2006 — Beijing 2008 — Vancouver 2010 — London 2012 — Sochi 2014 — Rio 2016 — Pyeongchang 2018 — Tokyo 2020 Games in italics will be held in the future, and those in (brackets) were cancelled because of war. See also: Ancient Olympic Games |
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| Youth Olympic Games |
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| Summer Games: 2010, 2014, 2018 | ||
| Winter Games: 2012, 2016, 2020 |
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| Singapore 2010 — Innsbruck 2012 — Nanjing 2014 |
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Contents
Hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics were a special event for Squaw Valley. It was a small place that had to grow quickly to host the world.
Choosing Squaw Valley
In 1955, different cities wanted to host the Winter Olympics. Squaw Valley was a surprise choice. It was a small ski resort, not a big city. But its creator, Alexander Cushing, convinced the Olympic committee it was the perfect spot.
Building for the Games
Once Squaw Valley was chosen, construction began right away. Workers built many new things. They created places for athletes to stay and compete. This included a special ice arena called Blyth Arena. They also built a track for speed skating and hills for ski jumping. New roads and bridges helped people get around easily.
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
The Games officially started on February 18, 1960. The opening ceremony was a big celebration. The Vice President of the United States, Richard Nixon, officially opened the Games. The Olympic flame was lit by Ken Henry, a famous speed skater. The Games ended on February 28, 1960.
Sports and Athletes
The 1960 Winter Olympics featured many exciting sports. Athletes from all over the world came to compete.
Participating Nations and Athletes
A total of 30 countries sent their best athletes to Squaw Valley. There were 665 athletes in total. This included 521 men and 144 women. They all competed for Olympic medals.
Events and Disciplines
Athletes competed in 27 different events. These events were part of 4 main Olympic sports. These sports included 8 different types of competitions, or "disciplines." Some of the popular sports were ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, and skiing.
Images for kids
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Sign outside Olympic Village at Squaw Valley
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Ice hockey match between the United States and Soviet Union. The United States won the game, 3–2.
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Sixten Jernberg in an Olympic cross-country race
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Klas Lestander during the 1960 Olympic biathlon competition
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Helmut Recknagel at a ski jumping event
See also
In Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de Squaw Valley 1960 para niños
