General Awareness Updates

XXII Olympic Winter Games

The XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, ended with a Closing Ceremony in the Fisht Olympic stadium. The ceremony, which provided a bright and emotional conclusion to the Games, was dedicated to Russian culture. The audience was presented with a European vision of Russia, in a show directed by world-renowned director Daniele Finzi Pasca.

A total of 2873 athletes from 88 nations participated in the mega event. The motto of the Sochi Games was ‘Hot. Cool. Yours’. As per tradition in the Closing Ceremony, the handover of the Olympic flag to the next host city began with the raising of the Greek flag to the national Greek anthem, signifying a tribute to the country where the ancient Olympic Games were born. The Olympic flag was lowered to the sound of the Olympic anthem. Anatoly Pakhomov, mayor of Sochi, handed it to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, who in turn handed the flag to the mayor of the city of PyeongChang, Seok Rae Lee. Following the tradition, each mayor then waved the flag four times, before the flag was taken away. The South Korean city of PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The culmination of the Ceremony was the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame. The Sochi 2014 mascots are the Polar Bear, a Snow Hare and a Snow Leopard.

Medals Table

Rank	NOC	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Russia (RUS)*	13	11	9	33
2	Norway (NOR)	11	5	10	26
3	Canada (CAN)	10	10	5	25
4	United States (USA)	9	7	12	28
5	Netherlands (NED)	8	7	9	24
6	Germany (GER)	8	6	5	19
7	Switzerland (SUI)	6	3	2	11
8	Belarus (BLR)	5	0	1	6
9	Austria (AUT)	4	8	5	17
10	France (FRA)	4	4	7	15

FOOTBALL

Mizoram wins Santosh Trophy

Mizoram has clinched its Maiden Santosh Trophy defeating Railways by 3-0 in Siliguri, West Bengal. It was Mizoram’s first final appearance while Railways was trying to break the jinx of 48 years. Railways has last won the trophy in 1966.

MOTORRACING

Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne

Winner: Nico Rosberg (Germany/Mercedes)

Second: Kevin Magnussesn (Denmark/McLaren-Mercedes)

Third: Jenson Button (Britain/McLaren-Mercedes)

CRICKET

Sri Lanka regained the Asia Cup trophy with a comfortable five-wicket victory over defending champions Pakistan, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur in Bangladesh. It was Sri Lanka’s fifth Asia Cup title. The last time they won the regional championship was in 2008.