Speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics records and five Olympic records were set in Lillehammer. Twenty-one nations competed in the speed skating events at Lillehammer. Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine made their Olympic speed skating debuts. Speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics Speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics, was held from 13 February to 25 February. Ten events were contested at Hamar Olympic Hall. Norway led the medal table in speed skating on home ice, led by Johann Olav Koss, who won three gold medals. Bonnie Blair was the most successful woman, with a pair of gold medals. Germany won the most total medals,
Sochi was cited as one of the main incentives. Sochi is also the home for the football team FC Zhemchuzhina which plays in the Russian First Division and for the ice hockey team HC Sochi which plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. The nearby ski resort of Roza Khutor at Krasnaya Polyana was the location of the alpine and Nordic events for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In June 2006, the International Olympic Committee announced that Sochi had been selected as a finalist city to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Paralympics. On July 4, 2007, Sochi was announced