| 1980 Winter Olympics medals | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lake Placid,  United States |
| Highlights | |
| Most gold medals |  Soviet Union (10) |
| Most total medals |  East Germany (23) |
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held in Lake Placid, New York, United States, from February 13 to February 24. A total of 1,072 athletes from 37 nations participated in 38 events from 10 different sports.[1]
Athletes from 19 countries won at least one medal, and athletes from 11 secured at least one gold medal. After winning a then-record 13 gold medals in the 1976 Winter Olympics,[2] the Soviet Union led with 10 gold medals in 1980, and had the second most total medals with 22. East Germany led the overall medal count with 23. The host United States were third in both gold and overall medals, with 6 and 12, respectively. Having won her country's first Olympic medal in Innsbruck, four years before, alpine skier Hanni Wenzel won Liechtenstein's only two gold medals in the country's history, at Lake Placid.[3] Liechtenstein is the smallest nation to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics.[1] Bulgaria won its first Winter Olympic medal at these Games, a bronze medal in cross-country skiing.[4] The People's Republic of China made their first appearance at a Winter Olympics at these Games, but failed to win any medals.[5]
American Eric Heiden led all athletes with five medals, all gold, in speed skating. Heiden was the first athlete to win five gold medals in individual events in a single Olympics, Summer or Winter.[6] Five other athletes won three medals each at these Games.[7]
- ^ a b "Lake Placid 1980". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
- ^ Canada Press (February 27, 2010). "Canada sets Olympic gold record". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 3, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ "Olympic History". Liechtensteinischer Olympischer Sportverband. Archived from the original on November 23, 2009. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ "Bulgaria Marks 30 Years since 1st Winter Olympic Medal as Vancouver Games Start". Novinite. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ "Game: Lake Placid 1980". Australian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ Shapiro, Leonard (February 24, 1980). "Heiden Wins 5th Gold, Most for an Individual". The Washington Post. p. 1F. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
- ^ "1980 Lake Placid Winter Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010.