PYEONGCHANG/GANGNEUNG, (South Korea): With the fourth Winter Youth Olympics opening in South Korea this week, Sports Minister Yu In-chon believes the host country will stage ‘the safest and the most comfortable’ competition.
Yu voiced his confidence Friday after visiting venues for snow events for the Jan 19-Feb 1 competition taking place across Gangwon Province on the east coast, Yonhap reported.
“I think we’re just putting the finishing touches on our preparation. At this point, the focus is on ensuring spectators will enjoy their experience in comfortable settings,” Yu said at Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre in Pyeongchang, some 130 kilometres east of Seoul.
“We will pay attention to every small detail and leave no stone unturned. We’re working to stage the safest and most comfortable Youth Olympics ever, and we hope athletes from around the world will get to enjoy Korea to their hearts’ content.”
South Korea is the first non-European host of the quadrennial Winter Youth Olympics, with Austria, Norway and Switzerland having staged the three previous editions.
Gangwon 2024 will use many of the same venues from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, also held across Gangwon.
As was the case six years ago, Pyeongchang and its neighbouring counties of Hoengseong and Jeongseon will host skiing, snowboard and sliding events, while Gangneung, about 30 kilometres east of Pyeongchang, will be home to all ice events. – BERNAMA-YONHAP
