We tried our best to get you ready for the Sochi Winter Olympics.
It started way back in October, when we compared the Sochi flame's relay to other epic journeys. Then we shared some of our personal favorite Winter Olympics memories, before offering some primers on the figure skating competition, men's ice hockey tournament, and five athletes to keep your eye on.
We hope it worked. Because Sochi's opening weekend has already blown us away with some world record achievements. Here's a quick roundup on some highlights from Russia.
GOLDEN (AND SILVER AND BRONZE) OLDIES
Three men having already competed staked their claims as some of the most durable - and successful - Olympians ever.
With not only an appearance but also a silver medal in singles luge, Albert Demchenko (Russia) appeared in his seventh Winter Olympics, breaking the record for most Winter Games competed in. His solo glory didn't last all that long, though, as one day later Noriaki Kasai (Japan) equalled that feat with his seventh Winter appearance in ski jumping. Kasai finished 8th in the normal hill competition, though, so Demchenko can at least still clutch that extra medal. But don't count Kasai out of owning this record outright someday.
And Norway's Ole Einar Bjorndalen (above) earned a record double with his gold in the biathlon men's sprint. It made Bjorndalen not only the oldest gold medalist in Winter Olympics history (40 years 12 days), but also the joint-most successful Winter Olympian ever. His career 12 medals match countryman and cross country skier Bjorn Dahlie for most ever at the Winter Games.
SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
Back to the luge track, Italy's Armin Zoeggeler (top photo) may not own the longevity of Demchenko or Kasai (he's appeared in "only" six Olympics) or the total medal count of Bjorndalen. But man is he consistent. With his bronze in the men's luge singles, Il Cannibale has now won the most consecutive medals in the same individual event, placing in the top 3 of every men's singles luge since Lillehammer.
And with the medal table showing Norway joint-top with seven total podiums as of the time of this publishing, the Scandinavian power continues to maintain its hold on the record for most Winter Olympics medals won by a country, with 310 and counting.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
As of the Opening Ceremonies, the U.S. came in flexing its muscle of sheer volume, which reflected a larger theme in this year's Games.
America's 230-athlete delegation is the largest ever sent to a Winter Olympics, while the Sochi Games themselves welcomed 87 National Olympic Committees to the Opening Ceremonies, the most nations to ever attend a Winter Games. Not surprisingly with a spectacle of this scale (and also as a result of trying to host the Winter Olympics in a summer resort town), Sochi has also laid claim to being the most expensive Olympics ever, with a price tag of more than $50 billion.
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So, with an amazing opening weekend to the side, we can't wait to see what the rest of the Olympic fortnight has in store! Be sure to follow Guinness World Records on Twitter, Facebook, and at Google+ for the latest news on records not only Olympic, but of all kind.
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