The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Originally called Winter Sports Week, it was retroactively named the first Olympic Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee organized the event to highlight winter sports. There were 16 events in 6 sports with 258 athletes from 16 nations. It opened on today’s date, January 25, 1924. The event attracted 10,004 paid spectators. Norway was the medal leader, with four gold, seven silver, and six bronze. The event’s success led to a rotation of Winter Games every four years, with the exception of 1940 and 1944 due to World War II. The 1928 Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, followed by Lake Placid in 1932.