Sochi Winter Olympics begin

A jumbo screen at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia, shows United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympics on Saturday. / Yonhap

By Kim Tong-hyung

The 22nd Winter Olympic Games officially opened with a lavish ceremony in Russia’s Black Sea resort town of Sochi on Saturday (KST).

About 2,900 athletes from 87 countries will be competing over 98 gold medals in 15 sports over the next 16 days. Korea has sent a record 71 athletes to Sochi and aims to win at least four gold medals, which is expected to be enough for finishing as a top-10 nation in the medal table.

The opening ceremony at Sochi’s Fisht Olympic Stadium was designed as an extravaganza of music and dance showcasing Russia’s post-Soviet rise. Veteran speed-skater Lee Kyou-hyuk, who is making his sixth Olympic appearance, was picked as the flag-bearer for Korea, which was placed as the 60th country to appear in the parade of participating nations.

With the cost growing over $50 billion, the Sochi Games represent the most expensive Winter Olympics ever by a considerable margin. The build-up to the Games has been overshadowed by security concerns, human rights debates and poorly-prepared facilities.