The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the organization of the 19th Olympic Winter Games to Salt Lake City (820,000 inhabitants, 1,320 above sea level), capital of the American state of Utah, an industrial center in a mining region. The games will be held from February 8 to 24, 2002. Two thousand three hundred and forty-five athletes are expected to participate from 80 countries, including Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They will compete in 15 disciplines and 78 medal events, of which eight are new. Utah and Salt Lake City have made excellent preparations. In order to assist the athletes, guests and journalists, over 26 thousand volunteers have registered.
The state nickname, the "Beehive State", will seem highly appropriate. On the first day, following the opening ceremonies, ski jumpers will compete. On the last day, the final competitors will be ice hockey players. The Olympic medals are a special attraction, shaped like lump of soil and fashioned of metals mined in Utah. An athlete bursting forth from the flames is depicted on the front and Greek goddess of victory, Nike, is on the back. On the side with the athletes is the following inscription: "Light the Fire Within".
