By Min Yea-Ji and Son Gina
Photos = Yonhap News

All the first champions in the first events of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games have been signed and sealed.
The four winners won in the four new events at the PyeongChang Games: the speed skating mass start, the mixed doubles in curling, snowboard big air and the mixed alpine skiing team event. These were all adopted as official Olympic events for the first time at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and the winners were also given the epithet of "the first gold medalist," as well.

Canada's Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris won a gold medal in the mixed doubles curling. Lawes had won a gold medal in the women's curling in Sochi in 2014, and Morris had won a gold medal in the men's curling in Vancouver in 2010. They once again won a gold medal in the mixed double championship, which was first introduced here in Pyeongchang.

In the finals of the alpine skiing mixed team event held on Feb. 24, Switzerland won the gold medal by surpassing Austria. Sixteen countries participated in the alpine skiing mixed team event, each team made up of two men and two women.



Austrian Anna Gasser won the gold medal in the finals of the women’s snowboard big air event on Feb. 22, and Canadian Sebastien Toutant won the gold medal in the finals of the men’s snowboard big air event on Feb. 24. Gasser and Toutant were both participated in the snowboard slopestyle race in Sochi in 2014, but settled for 10th and 9th place, respectively. This time around, the two snowboarders challenged the new event and were able to enjoy the pleasure of winning.

Korean Speed skater Lee Seung-Hoon and Takagi Nana of Japan became the men's and women's champions in the speed ​​skating mass start races for the first time on Feb 24. Each won a silver and a gold in the team pursuit event on Feb. 21.

Take a moment to cheer for the meaningful debuts that occurred in Pyeongchang, and let’s wish all the newly created first-time champions all the best in future Games.





jesimin@korea.kr