Gangwon 2024 - Grow together, shine forever
January 19, 2024
The Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games got underway today in the Republic of Korea. The “completely gender-balanced” Games runs through February 1 featuring 1,900 athletes from 81 National Olympic Committees (NOC) competing in seven sports across 15 disciplines. Algeria, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates are all debuting this year.
The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) began in 2010 as the brainchild of former IOC President, Jacques Rogge, who passed away in 2021. Singapore hosted the inaugural summer edition and Innsbruck, Austria hosted the first winter version in 2012. Through the event, athletes aged 15-18 and local youth are encouraged to promote peace, the Olympic values and initiate positive change through sport. One unique aspect of YOG are mixed NOC teams – athletes from different countries competing together on the same team – to foster team spirit and friendship across nationalities.
With a vision to let youth celebrate peaceful coexistence and unity through sport to create a better future together, Gangwon 2024 is the first Winter YOG to be held in Asia. The event looks to drive positive change and social unity in the region across sport, culture and education while promoting connection among the youth of the world.
Olympians Eileen Gu, Choi Min-jeong and Yuna Kim are among the YOG 2024 ambassadors. Additionally 27 Olympians from around the world are taking part as Athlete Role Models (ARMs), an IOC program to engage, educate and mentor the next generation of global athletes. A part of the wider Athlete Education Programme (AEP), it provides YOG competitors and their entourages with a chance to learn from experienced Olympians and elite athletes. The ARMs will support during training and competitions, as well as in the Youth Olympic Village. There they will take part in a series of educational activities and workshops including skills and topics such as career management, injury prevention, digital storytelling, the importance of mental health and more.
“It’s an important role to me. I love to support young athletes. It means a lot to me to try to share all the things that I learned during my career with the next generation,” said 3X French Olympic short track speedskater Thibaut Fauconnet.
For the first time ever, fans around the world are able to engage with the Games through a metaverse supported by the IOC, the Gangwon 2024 Organising Committee, the Gangwon-do Province and the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSIT).
From virtual venue tours to games and challenges where fans can compete against other users in online mini games of ski jumping, bobsleigh and curling, the virtual world offers a variety of interactive experiences in a further bid for inclusivity and accessibility particularly for young people.
During the Games, athletes will compete in their own sport while also participating in cultural and educational activities to enrich their experience. The IOC’s Learn & Share program, which focuses on topics such as healthy living, social responsibility and sustainability, is also playing a role.
The majority of the venues from PyeongChang 2018 will be reused to ensure a cost-efficient and sustainable event and give the athletes the chance to compete in the same sites as Olympians did six years ago. Gangwon 2024 will be streamed live on Olympics.com with dedicated feeds, as well as on the official Olympics app for mobile devices.
Unlike non-youth Olympic Games, all event tickets are free of charge with the exception of the Opening Ceremony. This accessibility initiative is part of Gangwon 2024’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and community engagement.
Source: Olympics.com