1994 Goodwill Games
Encyclopedia
The 1994 Goodwill Games
was the third edition of the multi-sport event
, created by Ted Turner
, which was held in Saint Petersburg
, Russia
between July 23 and August 7, 1994. The event – designed to improve Soviet Union – United States relations over the Cold War
period – was originally awarded to Leningrad, but the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 saw the city return to its former name within a new Russia. In total, around 2000 athletes from 56 countries participated in the 16-day event. The Russian President Boris Yeltsin
opened the games at Kirov Stadium
on July 23.
Russia topped the medal table with 68 gold medal
s and 171 medals in total from the competition. The United States
was the runner-up having won 37 golds and 119 medals overall, while the People's Republic of China
took third place with 12 golds and 27 medals. In addition to Russia, nine other former Soviet republics won medals at the games: Ukraine
and Belarus
were among the top-8 in the medal table, and Georgia
, Armenia
, Latvia
, Estonia
, Uzbekistan
, Moldova
and Kazakhstan
were the other new states to medal at the games.
The hosting of the games provided a significant legacy of infrastructure within St. Petersburg. Around 300 miles (482 km) of road was repaved, venues and landmarks were renovated, computer equipment was installed and donated, and 70 purpose-built Games buses were later integrated into the city's public transport
system. The prospect of a Russia more open to foreign investment sparked growth in the level of sponsorship and the games attracted 30 international sponsors. Television coverage also expanded; the games was broadcast throughout the United States on both TBS
and the ABC Television Network, and the games events were shown in a total of 129 countries.
The weightlifting events saw five world records broken as Russia lifters took a clean sweep of the gold medals. In the gymnastics
competition, Alexei Nemov
set a Goodwill Games record for the number of medals won at a single edition, having won four gold medals, one silver medal
and one bronze
.
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
was the third edition of the multi-sport event
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
, created by Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, which was held in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
between July 23 and August 7, 1994. The event – designed to improve Soviet Union – United States relations over the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
period – was originally awarded to Leningrad, but the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 saw the city return to its former name within a new Russia. In total, around 2000 athletes from 56 countries participated in the 16-day event. The Russian President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
opened the games at Kirov Stadium
Kirov Stadium
Kirov Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was one of the largest stadiums anywhere in the world. The stadium was named after Sergey Kirov....
on July 23.
Russia topped the medal table with 68 gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s and 171 medals in total from the competition. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was the runner-up having won 37 golds and 119 medals overall, while the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
took third place with 12 golds and 27 medals. In addition to Russia, nine other former Soviet republics won medals at the games: Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
were among the top-8 in the medal table, and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
and Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
were the other new states to medal at the games.
The hosting of the games provided a significant legacy of infrastructure within St. Petersburg. Around 300 miles (482 km) of road was repaved, venues and landmarks were renovated, computer equipment was installed and donated, and 70 purpose-built Games buses were later integrated into the city's public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
system. The prospect of a Russia more open to foreign investment sparked growth in the level of sponsorship and the games attracted 30 international sponsors. Television coverage also expanded; the games was broadcast throughout the United States on both TBS
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
and the ABC Television Network, and the games events were shown in a total of 129 countries.
The weightlifting events saw five world records broken as Russia lifters took a clean sweep of the gold medals. In the gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
competition, Alexei Nemov
Alexei Nemov
Alexei Yurievich Nemov is a gymnast from Russia and one of the most medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He has won 12 Olympic medals, including more Olympic bronze medals than any other athlete. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his difficult routines have won him many fans...
set a Goodwill Games record for the number of medals won at a single edition, having won four gold medals, one silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
and one bronze
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
.
Medal table
Key:| 1 | 68 | 50 | 53 | 171 | |
| 2 | 37 | 39 | 43 | 119 | |
| 3 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 27 | |
| 4 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 15 | |
| 5 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 24 | |
| 6 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 25 | |
| 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 23 | |
| 9 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 | |
| 10 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | |
| 11 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | |
| 12 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 22 | |
| 13= | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |
| 13= | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |
| 15 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| 16 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
| 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 18 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
| 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 22= | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 22= | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 24 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | |
| 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26= | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| 35= | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 35= | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 37 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| 38 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 39= | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 47 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48= | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 54= | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 54= | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 54= | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 186 | 177 | 213 | 576 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|