IOC

19 January, 2024 – Two Short Track Speed Skaters will become the first to represent Singapore in a Winter Youth Olympic Games when the action gets underway in Gangwon.

Amelia Chua will be competing in women’s 500m, 1,000m and 5,000m at the Gangneung Ice Arena, while Ryo Ong will be competing in the equivalent distances in the men’s event.

The 17-year-old skaters are athletes of the PyeongChang Legacy Foundation (PCLF)’s New Horizons Camp, aimed at developing athletes from countries with no existing infrastructure and background in winter sports.

Ryo has been training in Busan, South Korea for a year to qualify for the Winter YOG with South Korean coaches. He secured Singapore’s first spot at the competition at the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships held in Dresden, Germany in January last year.

“I feel very proud to represent my country at such a major games and I hope to bring my country back some good results,” said Ryo, whose favourite event is the 1,500 metres: “Anything can happen because it is such a long distance so you have time to strategise and make your move whenever you want.”

It has been a long journey for Amelia to reach the Winter YOG – she wasn’t on the original list of qualifiers but was given her spot in Gangwon due to a withdrawal. Amelia ranked 33rd, 39th and 42nd in her three events in Dresden.

There will be 25 athletes from New Horizons Camp competing at Gangwon 2024, representing nine National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

The athletes represent Tunisia, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica and Kenya as well as Singapore. They will be competing in Short Track Speed Skating, Bobsleigh, Luge, Alpine Skiing and Cross-country Skiing.

The Winter Youth Olympic Games is filmed for live television and digital streaming on Olympic Channel via https://olympics.com/ and the Olympics app, with full session replays and highlights also available. Gangwon 2024 takes place from January 19 to February 1.