The 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics set attendance and medal records while introducing luge as an Olympic discipline for the first time.
Key Facts
- Participating athletes
- 1,091 athletes from 36 nations
- Total events
- 34 official events across 6 sports
- Soviet gold medals
- 11 gold, 25 total (both Winter Games records)
- Games duration
- January 29 – February 9, 1964
- Luge debut
- First appearance of luge on Olympic program
- Winter Games debut nations
- North Korea, India, Mongolia
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Innsbruck was awarded the 1964 Winter Olympics after defeating bids from Calgary, Canada and Lahti, Finland. The city had previously failed to secure the 1960 Games. Preparation required significant logistical effort, including the mobilization of the Austrian army to transport thousands of cubic meters of snow from Brenner Pass due to an acute shortage in the host region.
The IX Olympic Winter Games were held in Innsbruck, Austria from January 29 to February 9, 1964. The Games brought together 1,091 athletes from 36 nations competing in 34 events across six sports. Luge made its Olympic debut. The Soviet Union dominated the medal table, while individual standouts included speed skater Lidia Skoblikova and cross-country skier Klavdiya Boyarskikh, each winning all of their respective events.
The Soviet Union set new Winter Olympics records for gold and total medals. Sixten Jernberg of Sweden became the first athlete to win nine Winter Games medals. The Games were shadowed by the training deaths of two athletes and the memory of the 1961 US figure skating team tragedy. Innsbruck would go on to host the Winter Olympics a second time in 1976, becoming one of few cities to do so.
Result
at Innsbruck, Austria (multiple venues within 20 km radius)