Kim and Neuner to take centre stage in Olympic pitches

May 16, 2011, 13:35 GMT

Lausanne, Switzerland - South Korean figure skating icon Kim Yu Na and German biathlon queen Magdalena Neuner will take the stage at important 2018 Winter Games pitches before the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday.

The 2010 Olympic champion Kim, 20, arrived in Lausanne on Monday to be part of Pyeongchang's presentation at the IOC technical briefing in the Olympic Museum.

Rival bidders Munich said on Monday that Neuner, who won two golds and a silver at last year's Games, will be part of their team.

'I am delighted that she will be joining us because her credibility makes her an important ambassador of the bid,' said German Olympic supremo and IOC vice-president Thomas Bach in praise of the 24-year-old Neuner.

Pyeongchang are considered favourites to come third time lucky after narrowly losing out to Vancouver (2010) and Sochi (2014), respectively.

They appeared to have a slight edge over the 1972 Summer Olympics hosts Munich in the report by the IOC evaluation commission published last week. The third bidder is the French resort of Annecy, considered an outsider.

The host city is elected in a secret ballot by the IOC on July 6 in Durban, South Africa.

The technical briefing is considered by many even more important than the final presentation on election day because IOC members have more time to look into the bids.

'First of all I will speak on Pyeongchang's perfect preparation. I will emphasize the short distance to the venues which will be hugely convenient for the athletes,' Kim said in a Pyeongchang statement issued on Monday.

'I will also explain that it's been long time since the Winter Games were in Asia (1998 Nagano, Japan) and highlight that Pyeongchang's bid is supported by the citizens the most among candidate cities,' Kim said.

Kim added that she hoped to make a good impression at the important 45-minute pitch.

'Honestly I am a little worried. As I spent lots of time to prepare for the world championships I didn't have much time to prepare well for this,' she said.

Kim will not only run into Neuner in Lausanne, but also into a legend from her own sport, Munich bid chair Katarina Witt, the 1984 and 1988 gold medallist.

Witt on Monday paid a first, symbolic, visit to the Olympic Museum and signed the historic Golden Book there.

'As a former athlete it is fantastic to be here in Lausanne. Signing the legendary Golden Book is a real honour for me, but even more important is the chance we have here to make a real impact on the IOC members just as we enter the final stages of our candidature,' said Witt in a statement.

'After our excellent feedback from the IOC evaluation commission last week, we are looking forward to sharing our Festival of Friendship concept.'

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