More than a century ago, in January 1924, some 258 athletes from 16 nations gathered in the French alpine resort of Chamonix to take part in the very first Winter Olympics.
Black-and-white photographs from the inaugural Games offer a striking glimpse into how different the sporting showdown once looked, and are a stark contrast to what audiences will see at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, when around 3,500 athletes from more than 90 countries are expected to compete.
The archival images capture moments from the opening ceremony, skaters posing in training and even the aftermath of a dramatic bobsleigh crash — but all without a sponsorship logo or LED scoreboard in sight.
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