The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games kicked off on Friday under the slogan “Together for a Shared Future.” 

Through February 20, some two-thousand-900 athletes from 91 countries will compete in 15 disciplines across seven sports, including biathlon, bobsledding, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing. A total of 109 gold medals are up for grabs. 

The opening ceremony began at 9 p.m., Korea time, at the National Stadium in Beijing. 

China sharply scaled down the hours and staff at the ceremony to some three-thousand in a bid to block the spread of COVID-19. When it hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing mobilized 15-thousand personnel for the opening ceremony which lasted for over four hours. 

Friday’s ceremony was attended by some 20 heads of state and high-ranking officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Due to a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games, the U.S, Britain, Canada and Australia did not send a government delegation to the Games. 

Other countries, such as New Zealand, also did not send government delegations, though either gave other or no reasons. 

From South Korea, Sports and Culture Minister Hwang Hee and National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug were in attendance. 

South Korea, the 73rd country to enter the opening ceremony, had eleven athletes and staff take part, less than the initially planned 20 due to freezing temperatures. 

On Saturday, South Korea will aim to secure its first gold medal in Beijing in the short track speed skating mixed relay, the event’s debut at the Games. It will see the participation of star skaters Hwang Dae-heon and Choi Min-jeong.