By Yoon Chul
Young blood is rejuvenating PyeongChang’s bid for the 2018 Winter Games in Durban.
Vancouver Olympic gold medalists Kim Yu-na, Lee Seung-hoon, Mo Tae-bum and Lee Sang-hwa are sweating, not on the ice rink, but at a convention center in South Africa ahead of PyeongChang’s final campaign efforts and IOC members have said this bid feels fresher than the previous two attempts.
The athletes all topped the podium in events in which Asians have traditionally found it hard to become world No. 1.
The victories of Lee Seung-hoon in the men’s 10,000 meters speed skating and Kim in the figure skating, put South Korea in the spotlight.
Once again, they are trying to turn the world’s attention to their nation.
Korea has now been preparing to host the Winter Games for over a decade. When the country and PyeongChang started challenging for the Games its name value and infrastructure was weaker than the other candidates.
As the nation wasn’t a winter sports powerhouse, people have wondered about its feasibility as a host.
But with a third bid to hold the Winter Games in the city of 40,000, Korea has improved its value and reports are PyeongChang’s status in Durban is different compared to the two previous attempts.
The Olympians know how difficult it was to live as winter sports athletes in Korea before finding success. They know how the Winter Games in PyeongChang could hugely help Korean and Asian athletes. And they are sending that message out in the South African city.
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