The Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics drew to a close on Thursday after a 14-day run. 

The closing ceremony, under the theme of “Shine Again,” was held simultaneously at the Gangneung Oval and the Pyeongchang Dome.  

Representatives from 78 countries participating in the Games entered the stage one by one, carrying their national flags in the order of Korean consonants. South Korean teen figure skater Kim Hyun-gyeon, who captured two gold medals at the Games, was the last to leave the stage, holding the Korean national flag.  

During the ceremony, International Olympic Committee(IOC) President Thomas Bach expressed gratitude to all the participating athletes, as well as the organizing committee, Gangwon Province and the Korean government.

About 18-hundred athletes competed in 15 disciplines, including alpine skiing, the biathlon, curling and skeleton, across four cities and counties in Gangwon Province.

Gangwon 2024 marked the first time for the Winter Youth Olympics to be held outside of Europe since the inaugural Games in 2012, with Innsbruck in Austria, Lillehammer in Norway, and Lausanne in Switzerland previously hosting the event. 

The IOC plans to announce the host for the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics either late this year or early next year.