Young luge athletes as flag bearers at the Youth Olympic Games -
FIL celebrates the most diverse luge line-up in history
Gangwon (FIL/19 Jan 2024) With an unforgettable Opening Ceremony featuring an array of K-pop stars and cultural performers, the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 got underway in style today. The event was hosted simultaneously at the sold-out Gangneung Oval, with 4,500 spectators, plus athletes and other YOG stakeholders, and the fully booked PyeongChang Dome, with 4,300 people.
"Dear young athletes: this is your moment," said IOC President Thomas Bach. "You are following in the footsteps of sporting icons who made Olympic history right here at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. Now it is your turn."
Young luge athletes as flag bearers at the Youth Olympic Games
Isabela Aponte from Puerto Rico, Lily Cooke from Ireland, Norway's Ola Brandstadmoen, Wei-Chen Tai from Chinese Taipei and Georgia's Luka Mikaberidze are young lugers who carried the flag for their country into the stadium at the opening ceremony of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 on January 19 in the PyeongChang Dome. Austria's flag bearer at the opening ceremony in Gangwon 2024 Paul Socher can hardly wait to compete against 23 young people from 20 different countries at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Asia - the most diverse luge line-up in the history of these Games: "You might only get a chance like this once - it's the absolute highlight of my career so far. I can't imagine anything better than leading this incredible team into the arena."
The athletes from Thailand, Ireland, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico will be making their debut in luge at the Youth Olympic Games.
"It's really amazing how many athletes from all over the world are here and competing in luge," said Socher, who comes from Tyrol in the Austrian Alps.
#LoveLuge
"This is the fastest sport on the ice - this sport requires you to be hard and focused," said Italy's Leon Haselrieder. "It's very cool to meet all the new athletes in this sport - and to know that when we get a bit older, we'll stay friends and see each other again one day at the Olympics!"
A total of 92 luge athletes from 26 nations are now ready to compete at the Alpensia Sliding Center in Pyeongchang - the venue of the 2018 Winter Olympics - from January 20 to 23 in the men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles and team relay disciplines.
Follow the YOG Gangwon 2024
The luge action starts on Saturday, January 20, with the women's singles and men's doubles - be there and support our athletes!
You can find the full schedule here:
https://olympics.com/en/gangwon-2024/schedule
Follow the YOG live on the IOC Olympic Channel
