The Sochi Olympics are now in full swing a day after the winter games were declared officially open on February 7 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. February 8 saw plenty of action in a number of disciplines, including snowboarding, downhill and cross-country skiing, speed and figure skating, and the biathlon.
Winter Olympics, Day 1
![Russia's Aleksandr Glebov takes off in a training session for the men's alpine skiing downhill race at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center.](https://gdb.rferl.org/29ae686d-7b94-4dee-883e-6654db7bfbaf_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Russia's Aleksandr Glebov takes off in a training session for the men's alpine skiing downhill race at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center.
![Yuki Kadono of Japan competes in the men's snowboard slopestyle final.](https://gdb.rferl.org/2d9be313-b233-474c-9923-20125e3ff46b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Yuki Kadono of Japan competes in the men's snowboard slopestyle final.
![A snowboarder arrives at the finish area for the men's snowboard slopestyle final.](https://gdb.rferl.org/12065d83-c0e3-4325-b698-4b37ce75f7fa_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A snowboarder arrives at the finish area for the men's snowboard slopestyle final.
![U.S. snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg celebrates winning the games' first gold medal in the men’s slopestyle final. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/fef5b6f1-4a53-4282-92f3-412a8ba0a82e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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U.S. snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg celebrates winning the games' first gold medal in the men’s slopestyle final.
![Athletes in action during the women's 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon competition in the Laura Cross Country Center.](https://gdb.rferl.org/12fc6270-0dad-4bfd-9d27-19cdd34e69ee_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Athletes in action during the women's 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon competition in the Laura Cross Country Center.
![Marit Bjoergen of Norway (right) celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon competition.](https://gdb.rferl.org/7322c7e6-06fe-4523-8b41-748b94d73716_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Marit Bjoergen of Norway (right) celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon competition.
![Athletes lie exhausted on the ground after the 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon.](https://gdb.rferl.org/0f724ca4-17d0-4083-9367-76e8db46182c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Athletes lie exhausted on the ground after the 7.5 kilometer + 7.5 kilometer skiathlon.
![Katie Uhlaender of the United States speeds down the track during a women's skeleton training session at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/7e7b6154-9c26-46cd-bbe9-29a1c5ae6153_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Katie Uhlaender of the United States speeds down the track during a women's skeleton training session at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor.
![Aleksandr Rumyanstsev of Russia competes in the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/b8dec659-621b-475e-b289-912e96ee538d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Aleksandr Rumyanstsev of Russia competes in the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race.
![The coach of Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Babenko yells instructions during the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race at the Adler Arena. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/e94653a4-e822-4ed2-be2d-d32cb7f1ba04_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The coach of Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Babenko yells instructions during the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race at the Adler Arena.
![A multiesposure image captures the Netherlands' Jan Blokhuijsen in action during the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/0eafc8ce-76db-4a39-86d6-cf8c57e8deb4_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A multiesposure image captures the Netherlands' Jan Blokhuijsen in action during the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race.
![Sven Kramer of the Netherlands shows his delight after winning and setting an Olympic record time in the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/3acefb6a-10fc-4ca6-aabb-0e45c2b5d20c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Sven Kramer of the Netherlands shows his delight after winning and setting an Olympic record time in the men's 5,000 meters speed skating race.
![The United States' Brianna Decker (left) goes one on one with Finland's goalkeeper Noora Raty during the second period of their women's preliminary round ice-hockey game.](https://gdb.rferl.org/1ab9e82d-67f1-44cd-98a7-dad1250a0dd8_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The United States' Brianna Decker (left) goes one on one with Finland's goalkeeper Noora Raty during the second period of their women's preliminary round ice-hockey game.
![Heather McPhie of the United States in action during qualification for the freestyle skiing ladies' moguls competition. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/d3ddb378-2342-4716-9a22-2c232207e905_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Heather McPhie of the United States in action during qualification for the freestyle skiing ladies' moguls competition.
![Street artists perform in front of the Olympic cauldron in Sochi. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/1c3e5da7-453f-4cc9-ab91-208701a25ee2_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Street artists perform in front of the Olympic cauldron in Sochi.
![Sweden's Fredrik Lindstroem competes in the men's biathlon 10 kilometer sprint event.](https://gdb.rferl.org/69884013-4256-4e57-92b2-72f13100ac07_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Sweden's Fredrik Lindstroem competes in the men's biathlon 10 kilometer sprint event.
![Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndalen wins his seventh Olympic gold medal in the men's biathlon 10 kilometer sprint.](https://gdb.rferl.org/2584b35a-d660-4a9b-80d8-7d1901d5b00e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Norway's Ole Einar Bjoerndalen wins his seventh Olympic gold medal in the men's biathlon 10 kilometer sprint.
![U.S.-born Siobhan Heekin-Canedy (top) and Dmitry Dun compete for Ukraine in the short dance figure-skating competition. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/8f12d41d-bf44-41b9-91f2-fc0853d86818_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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U.S.-born Siobhan Heekin-Canedy (top) and Dmitry Dun compete for Ukraine in the short dance figure-skating competition.
![The Olympic torch burns in the Sochi Olympic Park on February 8.](https://gdb.rferl.org/7695433c-dd2c-4444-9aa6-df2a86718da4_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The Olympic torch burns in the Sochi Olympic Park on February 8.