10.01.2020
The Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games got off to a spectacular start this evening following a sparkly Opening Ceremony at the Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In total 8,000 spectators attended the ceremony which focused on seven stories emphasising the Olympic spirit and the theme of “Home”, as Lausanne welcomed the Games’ young athletes to the Olympic Capital.
Turkey’s curling athlete, Selahattin Eser, carried the Turkish flag during the traditional athletes’ parade, which included a total of 79 flags from the 79 National Olympic Committees competing at the Games.
Watching on from the stands was Turkey’s senior delegation which included TOC President and IOC Vice-President Prof. Dr. Uğur Erdener, TOC Board Member Perviz Aran, TOC Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan, Ministry of Youth and Sports General Director of International Organizations and External Relations Ahmet Temurci and Deputy General Director İnanç Özçakmak.
As the end of the ceremony approached, IOC President Thomas Bach and Lausanne 2020 President Virginie Faivre gave their respective speeches, before handing over to Simonetta Sommaruga, President of the Swiss Confederation, who declared the Games officially open.
Lausanne 2020
Competition will begin tomorrow and will end on 22 January. Overall, a total of 81 competitions will be held at eight different venues over the 13 days following the Opening Ceremony.
The Games, now in their third edition, are the largest international winter multi-sport and cultural event in the world for athletes aged 15 to 18.
Turkey’s delegation
The Turkish delegation is made up of 14 athletes who will compete in six sporting disciplines; alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, ice hockey and cross-country skiing.
Turkey’s athletes are as follows:
1. Mina Baştan – Alpine Skiing
2. Derin Berkin – Alpine Skiing
3. Mine Kılıç – Biathlon
4. Barış Oduncu – Biathlon
5. Sidre Özer – Ice Hockey
6. Kerem Alsan – Ice Hockey
7. Ziya Efe Güçlü – Ice Hockey
8. Berfin Şengül – Curling
9. İfayet Şafak Çalıkuşu – Curling
10. Kadir Polat – Curling
11. Selahattin Eser – Curling
12. Fatma Yavuz – Cross-Country Skiing
13. Özlem Ceren Dursun – Cross-Country Skiing
14. Mehmet Türün – Cross-Country Skiing