Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics closes as China posts best-ever overseas result

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics concluded on Sunday, after 17 days of competition that saw broad participation.
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry declared the Games closed at the historic Verona Arena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“This is the true Olympic spirit: competing, embracing, lifting each other up whatever the result. You showed us what excellence, respect and friendship look like in a world that often forgets these values,” Coventry said in her closing speech.
The Games officially opened on February 6, featuring 2,880 athletes from 93 delegations – including first-time Winter Olympic participants from Benin, Guinea-Bissau and the United Arab Emirates – competing in 116 events across eight sports and 16 disciplines, with women accounting for a record 47 percent of competitors.
Norway topped the medal tally with 18 gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze medals, followed by the United States and the Netherlands.