Winter Olympics open in Milan and Cortina as Czechia sends record team

The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo officially got under way on Friday, with the Olympic flame lit simultaneously in two locations for the first time in history. In Milan, the fire was ignited by Italian skiing legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, while in Cortina d’Ampezzo the honour went to Sofia Goggia. The Games were formally opened by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Czechia is represented by a record 114 athletes, the largest team the country has ever sent to the Winter Olympics. President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva attended the opening ceremony in Milan. The Games run until 22 February and feature nearly 3,000 athletes from more than 90 countries competing for a record 116 sets of medals.