The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics will take place today in Sochi Russia.

Here are some facts 5th and 6th Class discovered with their excellent projects on the Winter Olympics.

1.Eighty eight countries will participate in these games that are held every four years.

2.The first games were held in Chamonix France in 1924 and the last games were held in Vancouver Canada in 2010.

The first names of these games was ‘The International Sports Week’.

3.No country in the Southern Hemisphere has ever hosted the games.

4.The last time solid gold medals were presented to the athletes was in 1932.

5. The Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world. The colours are represented in every national flag of the world.

6. The games were cancelled in 1940 and 1944 because of World War 2.

7. There are fifteen events that the athletes can participate in.(Alpine Skiing ,Biathlon,Bobsleigh,Cross Country Skiing, Curling,Figure Skating,Freestyle Skating,Ice Hockey,Luge,Nordic Combined,Short Track Speed Skating,Skeleton,Ski Jumping,Snow Boarding and Ski Skating)

8.The oldest athlete was 64 when participating in the games.

9.In the build up to the games the Olympic Torch travelled to the bottom of the deepest lake in the world and even to space!

10. The Winter and Summer Olympic games were held in the same year until 1992. After that it was decided to have the games on alternative years.

11.The ‘Sochi ‘ Olympic park is built by the Black Sea coast.

12. Norway have won the most Winter Olympic medals.

13. There will be a huge security presence in Russia for these games.

14.Ireland has five athletes competing in the ‘Sochi Games’.

15.Over 2500 athletes will take part in these games.

16.All the events will take place within thirty minutes of each of the venues.

17.It will cost Russia Fifty Billion to stage these games.

18.This will be the 22nd Winter Olympic Games.

19.The 1980 games in Lake Placid was the first time artificial snow was used.

20. Sochi is potentially the warmest city the games have taken place in.

21 .Pyeongchang (South Korea) will host the 2018 games.