Top Winter Olympics facts: 11 things you may not know about the 2018 games


As the 23rd Winter Olympic Games kick off in Pyeongchang, South Korea, here are some fun and interesting facts you should know.

The 2018 Winter Olympics is due to start in Pyeongchang, South Korea
Let’s face it, there aren’t many people who could ace a pub quiz based on the Winter Olympic Games.

You could generally be forgiven if you don’t know your Luge from your Lutz, or your Slalom from your Skeleton.


But now the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic is upon us, it’s about time you brushed up on your knowledge.

With this years games already underway in South Korea, we’ve rounded up some cracking facts that you can use to really break the ice (pun fully intended).

And if you think that one was bad, I’m afraid it’s all downhill from here…

1. Smallest host city since 1994

People dressed like snowmen seen in the Olympic village of Pyeongchang
Host city Pyeongchang will host it’s first ever Winter Olympic games and will be the smallest city to do so since the Lillehammer 1994 games in Norway.

It was the third time that South Korea had bid to host the games, and Pyeongchang had to fend off rival attempts from Munich and Annecy to win.

Located in the Taebaek Mountain region, the city lies 110 miles from Korea’s capital Seoul.

What’s more, it is situated only 40 miles away from a demilitarised zone that lies between North and South Korea.

Winter Olympics 2018

Winter Olympics 2018 full schedule

Why is Russia banned?

Winter Olympics facts

Winter Olympics full sports list
2. Welcome to high-speed rail

Canada’s Reid Watts in action during the men’s luge singles training session
In special preparation for the games, a brand new high-speed rail has been constructed to transport fans to and from the event.

The track opened in December 2017, and it will reduce the transport time from Seoul by half – now just taking approximately one and a quarter hours.

2018 PYEONGCHANG WINTER OLYMPICS: ATHLETES TO WATCH

There are also new and expanded highways between Pyeongchang and coastal city Gangneung, meaning getting to the games should be a breeze.

3. New $109 million stadium

Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium has been specially built for the 2018 games
You can’t have an Olympics without a stadium.

And Pyeongchang has gone all out by building a brand new 35,000 seater for spectators to marvel at and enjoy.

However, bizarrely the venue will only be used to host the opening and closing ceremonies.

Not only that, but it’s cost the organisers an eye-watering $109 million to construct and will then be torn down afterwards. Go figure.

4. Big budget

A view of the ski jumping ramp in the mountain cluster of Pyeongchang
Not content with just racking up plenty of expenditure on the new stadium, the budget for the games as a whole is HUGE.

So far the costs have spiralled and the end figure will be approximately £13 billion.

That being said, it’s a stark improvement on the last games in Sochi, which cost five times that amount at an estimated £50 billion.

5. Athlete central

Richard Freitag of Germany trains for the Men’s Normal Hill Ski Jumping
The Olympic village is always a focal point for attention as all the athletes’ bundle in together for the duration of their stay.

There are two separate villages this year, with the main one in Pyeongchang housing up to 3,894 performers and official team members.

The second over in Gangneung isn’t exactly small either, playing host to a further 2,900 people.

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Chloe Kim

Laura Dahlmeier

Martin Fourcade

Evgenia Medvedeva

Anthony Watson
Lindsey Vonn of USA celebrates during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Downhill
Lindsey Vonn

Mikaela Shiffrin

Elise Christie

Pavel Datsyuk
Eve Muirhead
Eve Muirhead


6. New events

Charlotte Gilmartin during GB Short Track Speed Skating practice (Image: PA)
This year, winter sports fans will be treated to a bit more action than usual, with four new events set to be included.

The IOC has made some additions to the schedule, with big air snowboarding, freestyle skiing, mass start speed skating and mixed doubles curling all due to feature.

That means a total of 102 events across the 15 sports this time around.

7. No NHL

The NHL is not releasing their players to compete in this years Olympics (Image: Getty Images)
The National Hockey League has decided that their players will not be permitted to take part, after failing to agree to a break in their regular season.

1998 was the last time this happened and the decision has not gone down too well with the Professional players.

Instead, the ice rink will be the stage for amateur players to make a name for themselves, so we wish those guys the best of the puck (I know, I’m sorry).

8. Meet Soohorang

Soohorang the Tiger, the official mascot of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (Image: TASS via Getty Images)
Here’s the new mascot for the 2018 games – Soohorang!

Organisers opted for a tiger due to the cultural roots of Korea and it’s placed in native mythology.

It is also regarded as a symbol of strength, protection and trust in Korean folklore.

He’s bound to be a roaring success.

9. Russian controversy

Alexey Romashov from Russia trains for the Men’s Normal Hill Ski Jumping
As ever, it wouldn’t be an Olympic Games without a few problems.

Following their own admission, Russia will not be competing in this year’s games due to their previous approval of a statewide doping programme.

Russian athletes are still permitted to take part, providing they can prove they are clean from any involvement with drugs.

28 bans have recently been overturned, which is in addition to the previous 169 athletes who were cleared to compete.

Those that do will have to do so under a neutral flag, however, and will have to abide by a special code of conduct.

So come what may, by the end of the tournament the records will still show zero medals for Russia no matter the results.

10. The unification of North and South Korea

Korea will compete as one in a unified Women’s ice hockey team
Tensions between the two neighbouring countries have been running high.

But both nations have confirmed that they will compete under the same flag for the first time at a winter Olympics this year.

The sides have sent joint teams to competitions in the past – the World Table Tennis Championships and the World Youth Soccer Championships – both in 1991.

But in a historic move, they will field a joint women’s Ice Hockey team as relationships between the countries grow.

11. The raunchiest Winter Olympics yet
Organisers are handing out 110,000 condoms to athletes taking part in PyeongChang this year – a new record for the winter games.

With 2,925 athletes taking part, that is enough for each participant to have sex 37 times over the 16 days of action.