How many athletes took part in the 2006 Winter Olympics?

The 2006 Winter Olympics opened in Turin, Italy on February 10, [26]with some 2,500 athletes representing about 85 countries. The Winter Games are a tradition that dates back to 1924, and [27]author Sue Macy recounts the highlights, low points and changes that have taken place since that time in a new book for young readers. [28]It’s called Freeze Frame: A Photographic History of The Winter Olympics. And it was published by the National Geographic Society. The same stately theme music is heard at both the Summer and the Winter Olympics, but the two events differ dramatically in other ways, says Sue Macy, and not just because the Winter Games feature cold weather sports.