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“It was an adventure for us, to go over there, to experience another culture, to go into a new country, to meet completely different people. I’ve always said I was born a second time in Sapporo because to win at the Olympic Games is so important in your life; it’s almost like a new start.”Bernhard Russi, Swiss men’s downhill gold medallistHISTORIC CLEAN SWEEPDespite never having won a gold medal at an Olympic Winter Games prior to Sapporo 1972, Japan produced a memorable performance in the 70m ski jumping event. Yukio Kasaya (above) made history by winning gold, while Akitsugu Konno and Seiji Aochi clinched the silver and bronze medals respectively to complete a famous all-Japanese podium and earn the NOC’s only medals at the Games.JAPAN’S LOVE FOR LYNN American figure skater Janet Lynn managed to win bronze in Sapporo, yet her legacy extended far beyond a third-place finish. At a time when there was still a strong emphasis on compulsory figures – a category that Lynn struggled in – she nevertheless captured the imagination in the free skating, and became an overnight sensation in Japan after getting up and smiling following a fall on the ice.WHAT THEY SAIDAs the first city outside Europe or the USA to host the Olympic Winter Games, Sapporo was determined to impress on the world stage. The snowy city certainly didn’t disappoint: 14 new facilities were specifically built to host events, nearly all of which were conveniently located within the city limits. Several of these venues are still in use today, including the Miyanomori and Ōkurayama ski jump stadia, with the latter also home to the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum. Hosting the major spectacle also contributed to significant urban redevelopments, including the opening of a new subway system as well as a subterranean shopping arcade, giving the capital of Hokkaido island a real facelift. MEMORABLE MOMENTSMEMORABLE MOMENTSOLYMPIC LEGACYOLYMPIC FLASHBACKOLYMPIC REVIEW 71