PyeongChang, December 21 – Today marks just 50 days until the start of the Olympic Winter Games and PyeongChang 2018 is ready to go!
Since July 2011 when the winning bid was announced, Gangwon Province has transformed itself into a winter sports hub and now boasts 12 state-of-the-art venues that are ready to host 102 medal events across 15 disciplines over the 17 days of competition.
Throughout the process, the planning and preparations have been on track with venue construction and infrastructure all completed on time and within budget. The newly opened high-speed railway (KTX), that will shuttle spectators from Incheon International Airport to PyeongChang in just one hour 50 minutes, has received high praise during the testing phase and the 51 trains that will run daily during Games time give visitors a smooth start and finish to their Olympic experience.
By hosting 26 competition and non-competition test events in the past winter season, the Organizing Committee was able to plan and test the operational side of the Games. The International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) was handed over to the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) on June 5, 2017 and is now fully operational as well as the Uniform and Accreditation Centre (UAC) since December 18. A total of 21,466 volunteers (Olympic: 14,647, Paralympic: 6,819) have been selected this year and have already started their on-the-job training for the Games.
A special weekend of celebrations is planned to mark the countdown milestone in Seoul at the Olympic Park which serves as a wonderful legacy from the Summer ’88 Games which are remembered fondly by so many and it is still very well used for a range of sports and entertainment events. The 50 days-to-go weekend festival is a chance to bring the Games to the capital city of the Republic of Korea to educate the public and give them a taste of what to expect during Games time. A three-day carnival running from December 22-24 will give people the chance to try their hand at some of the winter sports namely ice hockey, curling and figure skating.
LEE Hee-beom, President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee said, “With just 50 days away from the start of the greatest winter sports event ever, we are very proud of what we have created in PyeongChang and the efficiency with which the venues and infrastructure have been built. We are ready to welcome the first athletes and officials in only a few weeks’ time and are looking forward to giving them, and the spectators, a warm Korean welcome.
“We have worked hard over the last seven years to make our dream a reality and now the international sports festival is within reach for us all. I hope many people come and enjoy the celebration in Seoul this weekend and that they are excited by what they see and want to buy their tickets and join us for the live action and entertainment.”
There are still a number of important events before the cauldron is lit during the Opening Ceremony on February 09. The KTX begins public operation from tomorrow (Dec. 22) with tickets available online from a month prior to travel dates. On December 27, the Victory Ceremony podiums and presenter outfits will be unveiled with the first medal ceremony set to take place in the Olympic Plaza on the evening of February 10.
The Main Press Centre will open its doors on January 09 and the official opening of the Olympic Villages will take place on February 01.
To buy your tickets to PyeongChang 2018 and find out more about travel and accommodation, please go to http://www.pyeongchang2018.com
