First look at the Sochi Winter Olympics

The preliminary rounds for the upcoming 2014 Winter olympics in Sochi, Russia, are well underway. Contestants from around the world are engrossed in their final phases of training. The Olympics will officially commence starting from the 7th of February and will run till the 23rd.

A crowning achievement for Russia kicked off with a celebration of its past greatness and hopes for future glory.

The opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games was a celebration of Russia and presented Putin's version: a country with a rich and complex history emerging confidently from a rocky two decades and now capable of putting on a major international sports event.

During the ceremony, Russian TV star Yana Churikova shouted to a crowd still taking their seats: “Welcome to the center of the universe!”. For the next two weeks, it certainly is for the 3,000 athletes who will compete in 98 events, more people and contests than ever at the Winter Games.

It will be, too, for all those worried the games will be a target for terrorism.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and dozens of other world leaders were also present in Sochi for the ceremony.