Pyeongchang hoping IOC choses 'New Horizons'

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jul 4, 2011, 21:28 GMT

Durban, South Africa - South Korean city Pyeongchang, which is bidding to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, on Monday reiterated calls for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to open new horizons.

At a press conference in Durban, where the announcement will be made on July 6, the chairman and CEO of the Pyeongchang bid committee Yang Ho Cho said that Winter Games in the region would help stimulate the growth of winter sports to new areas.

'At the heart of Pyeongchang's bid for the 2018 Winter Games is the desire to help the Olympic Movement and winter sport expand to new regions of the world. We call this simple yet powerful vision, 'New Horizons''.

Pyeongchang is considered the favourite ahead of Wednesday's elections, with Munich also given good chances. The French town of Annecy is ranked outsider.

Yang said that they were already seeing the spirit of 'New Horizons' at the 123rd IOC session in Durban.

'It would be our honour to now help the Olympic Movement and the world of winter sports by hosting the first Winter Games in Korea, and only the third Winter Games in Asia.

'We believe this is an important moment for us, for our country, for Asia and for the Olympic Movement.'

Olympic figure skating champion Yuna Kim said that she was hoping for her dream to come true. 'I wish to see PyeongChang win the right to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and help connect winter sports with a young, dynamic and growing population in new parts of the world.'

South Korean Minister of Sport, Culture and Tourism Byoung-Gug Choung said that he was hoping that it would be a case of third time lucky for Pyeongchang, which has twice before been beaten in the race to host the Winter Olympics.

'We believe in the phrase 'third time lucky'. Here in Durban, our lucky city, we certainly hope that is proved correct.

'The Government is committed to developing winter sports in Korea and that's why we launched the new 'Drive the Dream' programme - our promise to invest 500 million US Dollars from 2012 to 2017 to develop Korean winter sports athletes.'

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