Liu, 20, earned the first individual Olympic medal for an American woman since Sasha Cohen’s silver in 2006 — the first gold medal winner since Sarah Hughes in 2002. And she did so with a smile, marking a triumph and return to glory for American women’s skating.

Here's a look back at the history of the Winter Olympics, including when the first games were held and where they've been hosted.

Team USA’s Alysa Liu completed her Hollywood ending to take gold at the Winter Olympics

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut this year, the first winter sport to do so since 2002. Skeleton, luge, ski jumping and moguls are also getting new events.

By Aadi Nair CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Yannick Schwaller was just six years old when his father Christof and his uncle Andreas guided Switzerland to a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Mikaela Shiffrin ended her Winter Olympics medal drought on Day 12 of the Milan Cortina Games, winning gold in the Alpine skiing slalom. The American star set herself up with a strong first run and finished the job in the second run,

Park City officials studied the Lillehammer, Norway, experience as they prepared for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

After a scoreless first period, the Americans fall behind early in the second period and need a late goal to force overtime, when Megan Keller scores the winner.