Aspiration to Win Winter Olympics

By Ahn do-young

PyeongChang’s bid for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will come to a conclusion at a meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Guatemala on July 4. PyeongChang, the mountainous eastern South Korean town, has run an active bid campaign to host the 2014 Winter Games having learned lessons from finishing second in the race for 2010.

During the last 30 days, PyeongChang faces the inevitable final spurt. Just as a marathon runner rounds the last corner to the finish line, so South Korea should become one and focus all its strength on hosting the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with a final appeal.

All Koreans, from youngest to oldest, including the government and the sporting world, say “Yes, PyeongChang!” and aspire to host the Games.

The rationale of PyeongChang’s bid is to go beyond simple sportsmanship. Based on the pure sporting spirit, PyeongChang dreams of contributing to world peace and of driving growth in the Asian sports industry, which is relatively weak. In addition, the Games will be a catalyst for regional development in Gangwon Province with PyeongChang as the center. The region is under-developed but has enormous potential.

PyeongChang has made a major effort to develop winter sports around the world through its bid to host the Winter Games through the ‘Dream Program’, one of the bid team’s most important projects. Young athletes with potential from countries that lack snow and ice have learned to ski in the white snow of PyeongChang. As a result, one of the participants in the Dream Program represented his nation at the Turin Olympic Winter Games.

The development of young athletes who started by putting on their skis backwards, and who were unable to stand up at first, confirms the realization of one of the Olympic Movement’s objectives. Including this year, nearly 500 young people from 36 countries have taken part in the training program offered by PyeongChang. We hope some will go on to represent their nations at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

PyeongChang is also an experienced host city that has staged major winter sports events successfully, including the 1999 Asian Winter Games, and FIS Alpine Skiing and Snowboard World Cups. The 2008 Biathlon World Cup and 2009 Snowboard World Championships will be staged at PyeongChang with its superb organizational capacity and ideal preparation for the best games in history.

Furthermore, the IOC recognized the well-developed plan for Olympic venues during its evaluation visit. In 2006 the construction began of a major Olympic resort, which will host the main stadium as well as venues for ski jumping, biathlon and cross-country. The resort will also incorporate other Olympic facilities such as the Media Village and IOC hotel.

The Korean government and the national assembly fully support all of PyeongChang’s efforts, stating that hosting the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is a top national priority. The government has provided the necessary guarantees in all sectors, including the construction of high-speed railways, multi-lane highways and competition venues.

PyeongChang has confidence in all aspects of its role as a candidate city for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, including the rationale, the development of winter sports, facilities and government support. PyeongChang offers a distinct vision and purpose with perfect conditions for the Games. If the 2014 Winter Games are awarded to PyeongChang they will be highly successful Games and leave a lasting legacy.

All Koreans have demonstrated enthusiastic support and passion for the 2014 Games so far. The welcome that local residents gave during the IOC evaluation commission visit in February in PyeongChang was unforgettable. All Korean people together very much hope the nation’s aspiration for the Winter Games in PyeongChang will be realized so that friends from across the world can experience the excellent games in PyeongChang, a place of peace and harmony.

Ahn do-young is a freshman attending Kyung Hee University in Seoul.