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Team USA's Heather Bergsma is currently the world record holder in the 2 x 500 meters and the 1500 meters in speedskating By Kyla Brewer TV Media P laying in the snow may not be everyone's idea of a good time, but when the temperature dips, some people can't resist the thrill of winter sports. Fans of skiing, hockey, skating and much more are gearing up for one of the most highly antici- pated Winter Olympics in recent memory, and this year's host city is ready to welcome the world with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics open - ing ceremony, airing on Friday, Feb. 9, on NBC. When all is said and done, the people of the Republic of Korea will celebrate the excitement of the Games with the closing ceremo - ny, set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 25. Approximately 2,900 athletes from 95 coun- tries will come together to compete in more than 100 events in 15 differ- ent sports during the Pyeongchang Games, and billions of people are expected to tune in around the world. Beginning this year, Mike Tirico takes on the challenge of host - ing NBC's coverage of the Games, taking over for sportscasting legend Bob Costas, who literally passed the Olympic Torch on to Tirico in February of last year. The opening ceremony welcomes viewers both in Pyeongchang and around the globe and provides organizers with a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on South Korea's rich culture. The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee (POCOG) wasted no time in finding a director for the high- profile event and in 2015 chose Song Seung-whan to serve as the executive creative director of both the opening and closing ceremonies, a post he ac- cepted with enthusiasm. "It's a great honor to join Pyeongchang 2018 as executive creative direc- tor for the 2018 Olympic Games' ceremonies," Song said in a state- ment at the time. "I will devote my best efforts to orchestrate exciting and memorable ceremonies." Song is a well-known theater and television actor in his homeland, and he has become interna- tionally renowned for his musical show "Nanta," also known as "Cookin'" or "Cookin' Nanta." The show, which features a mix of music, comedy, cooking and traditional Korean samul nori rhythm, has become a hit in Korea and around the world. "Nanta" earned an award for best performance at the 1999 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and became the first Asian musical to be performed on Broadway in New York in 2004. Song is well qualified to oversee the Olympic cer- emonies, which include a mix of traditional and new elements highlighting the culture of the host country. POCOG president Yang-ho Cho was confident Song would produce ceremonies worthy of the Games. "His experience and creative talent will prove to be valuable assets in producing ceremonies that will harmoniously connect our passion, tradition and cosmopolitan culture to the international audi- ence," he said of Song. Both the opening and closing ceremonies will take place in the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, a temporary pen- tagonal structure with seat- ing for 35,000. Built specifi- cally for the ceremonies, the stadium is expected to be dismantled following the Games. However, the venue has been the subject of controversy since it opened with a concert featuring K-Pop acts this fall. Some 30,000 fans packed into the stadium to enjoy the popular style of Korean music, but a few were reportedly later treated for hypothermia. The incident sparked concern about the structure, which doesn't have a roof to protect audi- ences from the wind. Though February brings even colder temperatures to Pyeongchang, organiz- ers are confident that the stadium is a suitable venue for both the opening and closing ceremonies. According to a December Reuters article, organizers plan to combat the cold with hot packs, blankets and audience participation. K-Pop artists will likely heat things up with their acts, which are expected to be a part of the open- ing ceremony. In addi- tion to cultural perfor- mances and speeches from officials, the opening cer- emony will feature the traditional Parade of Nations, during which most of the athletes expected to compete in the events will march into the stadium, country by country. Greece usually enters first because of the country's historical significance as the birth- place of the Games, with the host country typically entering last. Spectators will note the absence of Russia, which was banned from the Games because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reported it had found evidence of manipulation of the anti- doping system. However, Russian athletes may still compete as Olympic ath- letes of Russia. One of the most thrilling moments of any Olympic opening ceremony is the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, following the official Olympic torch relay, which has been underway in the host nation since Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. Over the course of the 101 days leading up to the opening ceremony, torchbearers will have carried the torch to 17 cit- ies across South Korea. The Olympic flame will shine brightly until it's extinguished at the closing ceremony, but not before the Parade of Flags, during which flagbearers from each country march into the stadium followed by athletes no longer grouped by distinction or nationality. The tradition of bringing the athletes to- gether began in 1956 and is expected to continue in Pyeongchang. Let the Games begin Pyeongchang shines a spotlight on South Korea in opening and closing ceremonies Photo: Virginia Sherwood/NBC Sports PyeOngcHang Mike Tirico makes his debut as NBC's prime- time Olympic host, receiving the Olympic torch from sportscaster Bob Costas 13 2.4.2018 Facts and figures Pyeongchang 2018 and what you might not know By Francis Babin TV Media Cost • The estimated cost of the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, is $10 billion (11.6 trillion Korean won). • The cost is five times less than the 2014 Sochi games, the most costly in Olympic history at a whopping $50 billion. Torch • After being lit in Olympia, Greece, the torch left Athens on Oct. 31 and began its journey the following day in Korea, where it visited all regions of the country before making its way to Pyeongchang's Olympic Stadium. • The torch measures 700 millimeters (27.5 inches) in length, representing Pyeongchang's altitude of 700 meters (2296 feet) above sea level. • The torch was designed by Korean designer Young Se Kim, and devised in such a way that the flame can survive extremes and will continue to burn in all weather conditions. Venues • There are 13 venues used in total, located in Pyeongchang and its neigh- boring city Gangneung. • Six new venues were built for the Games, including the $78-million, 35,000-capacity temporary Olympic Stadium that will host the opening and closing ceremonies. • Other new venues include the Alpensia Sliding Centre, which will be used for the bobsled, luge and skel- eton events, and the state-of-the art Gangneung Hockey Centre that will seat 10,000 and cost $90 million to construct. • The outdoor games will take place at the Alpensia Sports Park in the mountain resort of Alpensia, while the indoor games will take place at the Gangneung coastal cluster in the city of Gangneung. • The Pyeongchang Olympic Village will house nearly 4,000 athletes and team officials from nearly 100 nations, while the Gangneung Village will house nearly 3,000, where they will find stan- dard amenities including a bank, post office, fitness center, beauty salon and laundry service. Olympic Program • Pyeongchang 2018 marks the sec- ond time South Korea has hosted the Olympic Games, after Seoul in 1988, and is only the third Asian city to host the Winter Games, after Nagano in 1998 and Sapporo in 1972, both in Japan. • Pyeongchang will be the first of three straight Asia-set Olympic Games, with Tokyo hosting the 2020 Summer Games and Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Games. • Four events are making their first appearance at the games: big air snowboarding (replacing the parallel slalom), mixed doubles curling, mass start speedskating and mixed team Alpine skiing. • Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo, Malaysia and Singapore are making their Winter Olympics debut. • The official motto for the Games is "Passion. Connected." Team USA • Team USA looks to improve on its 2014 performance of 28 medals (nine gold, seven silver and 12 bronze). Its record is 37 total medals at the 2010 Vancouver Games (its gold record is 10 at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games). • Team USA is looking to dominate long track speedskating once again, having won 67 Olympic medals in the event, 29 of those being gold. • Look out for veteran speedskaters Heather Bergsma and Brittany Bowe, who have dominated the 1,000 and 1,500 meter distances at the interna- tional level trading top spots at the Grand World Cup Championship three seasons in a row. • On the men's speedskating side, Joey Mantia is looking to make a splash in the new mass start event, while Mitch Whitmore and two-time Olympic champion Shani Davis will give Team USA plenty of podium opportunities in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meter events. • Team USA will be sporting ultra-chic Ralph Lauren apparel at the Winter Games. This marks the sixth time in a row, starting with the 2008 Summer Games, that the NYC-based company has clothed American athletes. • The snowboarding team will be wear- ing space themed gear designed by Burton. The NASA-inspired gear pays tribute to the great American in- stitution. The snowboard suits, like the NASA spacesuits, are designed to survive extreme weather. Medals • There are 259 medals to be given out in 102 events in 15 sports. • The design of the medals reflects the host nation's traditions and culture. • The gold and silver medals weigh in at roughly 20 ounces, and the bronze is 17 ounces. This is an upgrade on the 18-ounce and 16-ounce Sochi 2014 medals. The medals have a diameter of 3.6 inches — a far cry from the first Winter Games' 2.1 inches diameter and 2.6 ounces. • The gold is in fact a silver medal plated in gold holding a purity of 99.9 percent. The silver medal also has 99.9 percent purity, and the bronze is a copper medal. • The medals' design was inspired in large part by the texture of the nation's tree trunks. The Olympic rings can be seen on the front of the medal overlaid with dynamic diagonal lines representing the history of the Olympic Games as well as the determination of the participants.