Winter Olympics wrap up

Australia sends biggest team with 60 athletes taking part in Sochi Games

AROUND 6000 athletes from 85 nations will compete for the 98 sets of medals to be won over the course of the 18-day Winter Olympic programme in Sochi. With Australia’s largest team taking part we are sure to see a few medals come our way.

Australian Athletes

Australia’s representation at Olympic Winter Games commenced in 1936 at Garmisch- Partenkirchen, Germany and since that time, our country has sent a team to all Winter Olympics except for the post-World War II Games in St Moritz, Switzerland in 1948.

Competing at these Olympics in Sochi will be our country’s biggest Winter team with 60 athletes taking part. All have trained hard to reach the standard required to match it with the elite from all around the world.

The team's best previous medal tally is three, achieved at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Canada. Keep a track of how our athletes perform and cheer them on as they go for gold.

In Uniform

As the Australian Team marched into the Sochi 2014Opening Ceremony it was obvious to see the pride they all had in wearing our national colours. The white jacket, emblazoned with the Southern Cross, looked classy topped off by the bright yellow beanie and forest green jeans. The formal Australian outfit for these Games consists of tan pants, a white shirt, grey knit jumper, blue silk scarf or tie and a bottle green blazer lined with the names of the 198 Australian winter Olympians. A pair of

classic Tasmanian made Blundstone dress boots compliments the outfit.

On the sporting fields and arenas our Aussie athletes are outfitted in green and gold competition wear of various styles. Hopefully we will see the team uniforms on the podium regularly throughout the Olympics.

Sport in the Spotlight

Luge is one of the oldest winter sports. It involves competitors lying on their backs on a tiny sled with their feet stretched out in front of them, and racing down an icy track at speeds in the range of 140 kmh, without brakes. Luge is the French word for “sledge”. Skeleton is the head first version of the Luge.

Alex Ferlazzo

Australian teen luge sensation, Alex Ferlazzo started in the sport a little over four years ago but made history by winning Australia's first luge medal at a high level with a bronze in the Junior World Cup youth men's event in 2012.

Ferlazzo, 18, is the first Australian man to compete in the sport at the Olympics since Roger White in 1994. While at home in Townsville, Ferlazzo practices his sport on the road down Mt Stuart.