Gangneung, Korea, February 1, 2024: Hosts Republic of Korea ended the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 with two gold medals in under an hour on Thursday – the final day of the YOG.
The Koreans won the figure skating team event at the Gangneung Ice Arena before Lee Chaeun picked up gold in the men's snowboard halfpipe event minutes later at Welli Hilli Park.
The hosts finished top of the table in the figure skating team event with 13 points, with men’s champion Kim Hyungyoem (136.38) and women’s silver medallist Shin Jia (137.48) topping the scoring in the men's and women's skates, respectively, to add to their individual medals from earlier in the YOG.
Team Korea edged USA by one point for the gold medal. Canada won bronze with nine points.
In the men’s snowboard halfpipe, Lee, 17, won his second gold medal of the Games, adding the halfpipe title to the slopestyle gold from January 25.
Lee gained his highest score, 88.50, on his second run, and finished ahead of Alessandro Barbieri (USA) with 84.75 and Japan’s Yamada Ryusei, whose 83.0 points on his second run gave him the bronze medal.
Korea ended the YOG with a gold-silver-bronze record of 7-6-4.
Japan dominated the women’s snowboard halfpipe at Welli Hilli Park on Thursday by taking gold and silver.
Kudo Rise’s first run of 90.75 earned her the gold medal, followed by teammate Shimizu Sara, who also scored high on her first of three attempts to take silver with 84.50.
Lura Wick of Switzerland won the bronze medal with 78.0 points, again from the first of her three runs.
Japan ended the YOG with a gold-silver-bronze record of 3-4-8.
China won six gold medals, nine silver and three bronze medals, while Kazakhstan won one gold and two bronze and Thailand won one silver.