Venezuela at the 1998 Winter Olympics but never won a medal at the Winter Olympics. These Winter Olympics were held from 7–22 February 1998; a total of 2,176 athletes represented 72 National Olympic Committees. The only athlete Venezuela sent to Nagano was a luger, Iginia Boccalandro. She was the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Iginia Boccalandro was 36 years old at the time of the Nagano Olympics, and was making her Olympic debut. Before the Games, the Salt Lake City, Utah resident claimed that "I'm too old and fat"; she said her real goal was the 2002 Winter Olympics, by which time she would have
United States at the 2002 Winter Olympics to semifinals. United States at the 2002 Winter Olympics The United States was the host nation for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. These Games were by far the best home Winter Games for the United States, earning 34 total medals, nearly triple their best previous hauls at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, and the 1932 Winter Olympics and 1980 Winter Olympics, both in Lake Placid, New York and the most a host country has won at a single Winter Olympics. The United States also tied Norway at the 1994 Winter Olympics for most