The Russian city of Sochi was awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics by the International Olympic Committee today in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Sochi beat out PyeongChang, South Korea and Salzbur, Austria for the right to host the Winter Games. PyeongChang had been the favorite to win. Salzbur had been knocked out in the first round of secret balloting.
This will be the first time in the history of the Olympics that Russia has hosted a Winter Olympics. Russia has won the most winter medals in Olympic history with over 600 medals.
Sochi is a Russian resort city on the Black Sea located in southern Russia. Some events will take place in the Caucasus Mountain Range. Sochi will also build 4 ice venues as well as part of $12 billion infrastructure that will be funded by the Russian Government.
Sochi bid leader Dmitry Chernyshenko told Reuters: “We are happy and satisfied and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the IOC.”
Now Sochi must go from an bidding to organizing committee and get the construction and planning going for the Games.
