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omonatheydid
The South Korean financial heavyweights were finally rewarded for a 10-year Olympic campaign that ended today with tears of triumph.
"And the city is Pyeongchang," said IOC President Jacques Rogge to scenes of unbridled joy by the bid team, including South Korean president Lee Myung-bak in the International Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the mountain region of Alpensia and nearby Pyeongchang stayed up late in the evening to hear the result – and they were ecstatic.
Losing bid teams from Munich, headed by Katarina Witt and Annecy, led by Charles Beigbeder, were left devastated.
Pyeongchang won this bid after two previously unsuccessful attempts by stressing to the 98 IOC voters that the Games had only been to the Asian region twice before (both times in Japan), by guaranteeing unprecedented government and financial support for the Games, and by promising a compact plan where athletes are within five to 10 minutes of any venue.
The Koreans have already built the ski resort, the luxury IOC hotel and athletes villages and are in the process of finalising a US$3 billion fast train linking the airport to Seoul and to Pyeongchang – all of which helps the IOC member's wives zip off for a bit of shopping.
The Pyeongchang bid had been heavily bankrolled by Korean companies, Samsung, a IOC global sponsor and contributor to several international sports federations, as well as Korean Air.
British IOC member, The Princess Royal and Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald abstained from voting because of connections to Samsung: the Princess through her daughter Zara Phillips being made a London 2012 Samsung ambassador and Oswald through his presidency of the International rowing federation, which is sponsored by the company.
The South Koreans had stressed their "persistence and patience" in their Olympic journey.
A trump card during their final presentation was the surprise appearance of freestyle Olympic bronze medallist Toby Dawson, who was born in South Korea but adopted to American parents.
He only discovered his Korean father after winning the Olympic medal and is planning to work with the South Korean freestyle team.
He said giving the Games to South Korea would open up the Olympic dream to millions of Asian children – a point reinforced when a world map of previous winter hosts was shown with dots scattered all across the North America and Europe.
Vancouver Olympic gold medal skater Yu Na Kim respectfully thanked the "dear" IOC members for allowing her to be a living legacy, to allow her to achieve her dreams and inspire others.
Bid ambassador and former provincial mayor Jin-Sun Kim shed a small tear when he said: "I believe it is my destiny to stand before you for a third time, I humbly ask for your support."
But the moment lightened when the Korean Olympic Committee President YS Park apologised to the newly-married IOC member Prince Albert of Monaco, for being forced to spend his honeymoon watching Pyeongchang's presentation – for a third time.
"It was even better the third time. Don't worry," replied Prince Albert.
Munich had tried to garner a last minute vote swing with yodelling from Bavarian-dressed Willy Rehm, the simulation of tapping a beer keg by the Lord Mayor and a financial pitch from chief executive Bernhard Schwank.
He said: "40 percent of the revenues come from the Winter Games, and 50 percent of that are from German companies. Can you imagine what will happen in Germany hosts the 2018 Games, every country, every continent would benefit? There would be added value for everyone."
The Annecy bid, which had been lagging well behind in the race, pitched a romantic and gastronomic theme to the IOC members.
The Telegraph
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 07:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 07:21 pm (UTC)2018 will surely be a special year for SK.
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:22 pm (UTC)second hand embarrassment at my country
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:23 pm (UTC)Got their priorities right!
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Date: 2011-07-07 04:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 07:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 07:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 07:54 pm (UTC)kinda OT but does anybody remember Rain in the closing ceremony for the Beijing olympics? i remember thinking "nah that can't be him" then later finding out it was
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Date: 2011-07-06 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-07-06 08:14 pm (UTC)And I don't understand why the IOC or whatever won't allow back to back Asian countries for Olympics? They were talking about Japan not being able to host the Olympics for another few 6 - 8 years because they don't want back to back Asian countries. BUT WHY!?
Oh, the irony.
Date: 2011-07-06 08:18 pm (UTC)Congratulations South Korea. I'll be there to watch it :)
Re: Oh, the irony.
Date: 2011-07-07 04:31 am (UTC)If a whole group of us from Omona met up there.
Like a gathering ~
Re: Oh, the irony.
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Date: 2011-07-06 08:28 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-07-06 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 09:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 09:56 pm (UTC)Yaaaay! I might actually be able to go by then ^^
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Date: 2011-07-06 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-06 10:26 pm (UTC)covers transportation and layout
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Date: 2011-07-07 01:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2011-07-06 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-07 08:15 am (UTC)sadly we will not know. by then, 10 year olds will be debuting and therefore only way those of us in our 20s could know is if we were to download mvs from paedobears'R'us.com
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Date: 2011-07-07 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-07-07 03:21 pm (UTC)