Old favorites look to do it again at Gangwon Youth Olympics

With Gangwon just around the corner, take a look back at which countries have shone in which sports at the previous Youth Winter Games.

Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre [PAIK JI-HWAN]

Over the last few months, an overly energetic cartoon snowball wearing ski goggles and a red scarf has been plastered everywhere in Korea, from metro stations and post offices to huge flashing billboards in the middle of downtown Seoul.

The snowball has a name — Moongcho, the mascot of the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, who has dominated a ramped-up wave of promotional content in the weeks before the Games are set to begin.

There's an innocent, adolescent tone to it all — the rosy-cheeked Moongcho an emblem of the tournament's youth. But Gangwon brings serious business for a young cohort of medal hopefuls, with a chance to leave their mark on the international stage and win coveted spots on podiums, competing among the best athletes at their level in their sports.

The sports at the Youth Olympics will mostly mirror those at the senior Games, although some may come with modifications to better suit the young athletes.

And some countries have long-dominated certain sports, just as they do at the senior ones.

Since the first Winter Youth Olympics in 2012, multiple countries, including Korea, have proven themselves as strong competitors in a number of different events.

With Gangwon just around the corner, take a look at how some standout countries have fared at previous Games — and who to watch this year.

Korea

Across the past three Winter Youth Olympics, during which Korea has won 35 medals in total, it has seen its speed skaters and short track speed skaters shine the most.

Korea's Jang Mi skates in the women's 1500-meter speed skating event at the first winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria on Jan. 16, 2012. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Between the two sports, Korea's youth skaters have won 30 medals, and they were the highlights for the national team at all three previous Winter Games.

Since the 2012 Games, Korean short track speed skaters have continued to outshine their competition, earning the most medals in the sport — six in 2012, four in 2016 and seven in 2020 for a total of 17.

Korea topped the podium in four short track speed skating disciplines in 2012, before repeating that record in 2020.

Over in speed skating, Korea won the second most amount of medals in 2012, at five, and went on to claim the most in 2016, eight.

But the 2020 tournament was the first time that Korea failed to earn any medal in the sport. Japan took home the biggest bag, with five medals.

This year, Korea's young skaters could help lift the national team back to the top of the discipline after a lackluster 2020 and recreate the speed skating glory of the past.

Austria

Austria's most successful events tell a clear story — that skiing is its sport. Out of the 36 medals the country has earned over past three Winter Youth Games, it has secured 24 of them from skiing — 14 medals from alpine skiing, four from ski jumping, three from freestyle skiing and three from Nordic combined.

No country apart from Switzerland — having won 18 medals in alpine skiing — has matched Austria in the event.

Austrian youth alpine skiers have so far followed in footsteps of their senior athletes, who made Austria the leading country in the sport at the senior Winter Olympics.

This year’s Youth Games will see new Austrian youth athletes who may extend the country’s dominance in skiing against strong competitors, like Switzerland.

Switzerland

Switzerland may be another strong competitor at the 2024 Winter Games, considering the number of medals it has won — 43 total.

Alongside Austria, Switzerland has seen massive success in skiing. With 18 medals in alpine skiing and four medals in freestyle skiing under its belt, it has secured one of the best records in the sport at the Winter Youth Games.

The 18 medals in alpine skiing make Switzerland the country with the most amount of medals in the sport, although Austria has one more gold.

Over in freestyle skiing, Switzerland has managed only four medals in Youth Games history, but it still has claimed the most amount of gold in the event, at three.

Russia (not competing at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics)

It goes without saying that Russia has been the most successful country at the Winter Youth Olympics. Its medal record proves that point.

A total of 39 countries have competed in at least one of the previous three Winter Youth Olympics, and Russia has collected the most amount of medals at 69 — winning 22 gold, 23 silver and 24 bronze — across three Winter Youth Games.

Russian youth athletes dominated at the 2020 Winter Youth Games, winning 29 medals in total and finishing the tournament as the No. 1 country with the most medals.

Russia’s dominance has been clear especially in figure skating.

Its youth figure skaters have earned 22 medals over three competitions, making Russia the country with the most medals in the sport. No country has even come close to that number; Japan and China are tied in second with three medals apiece.

It is also impossible to speak of Russia without mentioning the biathlon — a sport in which contestants combine cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

Since it was an official sport at the 2012 Youth Games, the country has secured the most medals at 12. Some countries like Norway and France, however, remain as strong rivals in the sport, with both sides having earned eight medals each.

Russian youth athletes have also been prominent in skiing, but it has been a specialty of other countries like Austria or Norway that have also shone at the previous Winter Youth Games.

Russia will not have a chance to extend its dominance in its favorite sports, however, as it is not competing at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics due to reasons related to doping.

Fresh terrain for 2024

Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Whether new young athletes can continue their countries’ glory will be seen at this year’s Winter Youth Olympics.

A total of 1,950 athletes from 80 countries are expected to compete in the Games, with 81 medals on the line across 15 different events from Jan. 19 through Feb. 1.

In addition to Gangneung and Pyeongchang, Jeongseon County and Hoengseong County in Gangwon will also play host to the Youth Olympics.

The closing ceremony will take place at Gangneung Olympic Park in Gangneung.

With the Gangwon Youth Olympics, Korea will become the first-ever Asian country to host the Winter Youth Games. The past three tournaments were all held in Europe — first in Austria in 2012, Norway in 2016 and Switzerland in 2020.

Promoted by the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics Organizing Committee.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN AND MARY YANG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]