Gangwon Youth Olympics concludes with Japanese team winning 15 medals including 3 gold medals

Highlights: Gangwon Youth Olympics concludes with Japanese team winning 15 medals including 3 gold medals. The Japanese team won 15 medals at this tournament, including three gold medals, a result that raises expectations for the future successes of these young athletes. The location of the next Winter Youth Olympic Games has not yet been decided, but is expected to be decided by early next year. This year, approximately 1,900 athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 participated in the Youth Olympics, which was held for 14 days from the 19th of last month.

[NHK] The closing ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games held in South Korea was held on the night of the 1st, bringing the curtain down on the 14-day competition. Japan won three gold medals at this tournament...

The closing ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games held in South Korea was held on the evening of the 1st, bringing the curtain down on the 14-day competition. The Japanese team won 15 medals at this tournament, including three gold medals, a result that raises expectations for the future successes of these young athletes.

15 medals for Japanese team “Results that have high expectations for the future”
◇Snowboarding Sara Shimizu and Ryusei Yamada talk

◇Japan Team Leader Harada: “I feel like I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”
Increase in mixed events for gender equality

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table of contents

15 medals for Japanese team “Results that have high expectations for the future”
◇Snowboarding Sara Shimizu and Ryusei Yamada talk
◇Japan Team Leader Harada: “I feel like I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”
Increase in mixed events for gender equality

15 medals for Japanese team “Results that have high expectations for the future”

This year, approximately 1,900 athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 participated in the Gangwon Youth Olympics, which was held for 14 days from the 19th of last month.

All competitions were completed on the 1st, and the closing ceremony was held from 8:00 pm at an outdoor venue in Gangneung.

The closing ceremony, which was held in the snow, was attended by Japanese athletes including Himeka Terauchi, captain of the women's ice hockey team who won a silver medal, and Sara Shimizu, who won a silver medal in the women's snowboarding halfpipe.

At the closing ceremony, a large-scale screen reflected on the tournament by showing photos and videos posted on social media of the athletes enjoying Korean culture and their post-competition appearances.

Afterwards, IOC President Bach gave a speech and praised the athletes and everyone involved in the event, saying, ``I would like to thank all the athletes for their smiles and performances, as well as the volunteers and all the efforts that made this Games a success.'' Ta.

Finally, the ``digital torch'' displayed on a large screen was extinguished, bringing the curtain down on the 14-day event.

The Japanese team won 15 medals at this tournament, including three gold medals, a result that raises expectations for the future successes of these young athletes.

The location of the next Winter Youth Olympic Games has not yet been decided, but is expected to be decided by early next year.

◇Snowboarding Sara Shimizu and Ryusei Yamada talk

Before the closing ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games, 14-year-old Sara Shimizu, who won the silver medal in the women's snowboarding halfpipe, and 17-year-old Ryusei Yamada, who won the bronze medal in the men's snowboarding event, agreed to an interview before the closing ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games. Ta.

Of these, Shimizu said, ``My goal was to get on the podium, so I'm glad I was able to do it, but I was trying to get more points with the same routine until the third time, and it didn't work out.'' "It's frustrating. When I focus on one thing, I sometimes don't pay attention to other things, so I want to overcome this as I practice."

Looking ahead to the closing ceremony, she said, ``I got to interact with athletes from other countries more than any other tournament I've participated in so far, and I made a lot of friends, so I want to enjoy the closing ceremony to the fullest.'' .

Yamada also commented on the results on the 1st, saying, ``I was aiming for the championship, so I'm disappointed, but I'm very happy that I was able to win a medal on this stage. So I hope we can all continue to work hard and get better together."

She also said, ``It was really great to be able to interact with so many people, and I want to fully enjoy the atmosphere at the closing ceremony.''

◇Japan Team Leader Harada: “I feel like I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

Masahiko Harada, a gold medalist in ski jumping at the Nagano Olympics and leader of the Japanese team, commented on the results of the Japanese athletes, who won 15 medals, including three gold medals, saying, ``The athletes did a really good job.'' I think it's a great result," he said.

At this year's competition, they showed great results in short track skating, which has been stagnant in international competitions in the past, by winning three medals, but they also showed success in events such as ski jumping and Nordic combined, which have traditionally demonstrated their strength. I ended up with no medal.

In response to these results, Team Leader Harada said, ``I think this is a direct result of the current situation of strengthening each sport.The ski athletes are young and there is a difference in experience. I will be providing guidance that will lead to the growth of the players, but I felt that all the players in all sports were looking forward to the future."

Lastly, he addressed the players and said, ``I think it was really stimulating to be able to play against players who will become our rivals in the future.I hope they will use this experience as confidence and grow greatly.''

Increase in mixed events for gender equality

The Winter Youth Olympics held in South Korea served as a test case for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to promote gender equality in future Olympics.

The roughly 1,900 participants will be split equally between men and women, a pattern that will be repeated at this summer's Paris Olympics. Furthermore, in order to increase the number of female athletes participating, the number of events for both men and women was set to be the same (32).

The number of mixed events, in which men and women compete in teams, increased by four from the previous Games, for a total of 17 events.

It is also recommended that pairs of flag bearers, male and female, hold up the national flags as athletes from each country and region enter the opening ceremony, including Japanese curler Kaito Fujii and ski jumper Yuzuki Sato. Many teams marched in pairs of men and women. The IOC says the ratio of male and female flag bearers is now roughly equal.

IOC Director: “Our vision for the future Olympics”

The Director of Communications at the IOC commented, ``This Games is the future Olympic Games that we have been aiming for.The mixed events have been well received by athletes, and increasing the number of events was a success.''

In addition, at this summer's Paris Olympics, where it has already been decided to increase the number of mixed events, the team will further encourage the selection of male and female flag bearers, taking into account the efforts of this year's Olympics. It's a communication platform. Closing the gender gap at the Olympics will send a strong message of gender equality to the world. In sports, we all need to continue taking action in the lead-up to the Paris Games. "We want to show that we are equal."