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PYEONGCHANG 2018 FEVER MOUNTS DURING OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY Following a handover ceremony in Athens (Greece) on 31 October, the Olympic flame arrived in the Republic of Korea 100 days before the start of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. The flame landed at Incheon International Airport at 10am local time on 1 November, and promptly embarked on the Olympic Torch Relay that will take it around the host country before eventually arriving in PyeongChang for the Opening Ceremony on 9 February. “Our dream has become a reality, and today is a very important and proud symbol of our work and passion in bringing one of the most exciting winter sporting events ever to our country,” said Lee Hee-beom, President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee. “I hope that over the next 100 days we really can ‘let everyone shine’. We want the Olympic Torch Relay to connect you to the Games, and ignite passion and excitement in every corner of Korea.” The honour of being the first torchbearer of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay fell to 13-year-old figure skating prodigy You Young, who ran the first 200 metres on Incheon Bridge before handing over to comedian and television personality Yoo Jae-suk. You and Yoo were the first of 7,500 torchbearers who will carry the Olympic flame on a 2,018-kilometre journey around the Republic of Korea, visiting nine provinces and eight major cities. The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay has three Presenting Partners: Worldwide TOP Partner Coca-Cola, which continues its long-standing support for Olympic torch relays, Worldwide TOP Partner Samsung and local Partner KT. Pictured You Young was the first torchbearer on the 2,018-kilometre journey around the Republic of Korea Above Nigeria’s women’s bobsleigh team has its sights set on PyeongChang 2018 In November, Worldwide TOP Partner Visa welcomed to its team the three athletes who make up the Nigerian women’s bobsleigh team. Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga are bidding to become the first-ever African representatives to compete in bobsleigh at the Olympic Winter Games. “By joining Team Visa, we hope to provide this group of determined athletes with a global stage to tell their story and inspire athletes all over the world to follow their dreams and never give up,” said Chris Curtin, Visa’s chief brand and innovation marketing officer. Since the programme began in 2000, Team Visa has supported over 400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls by providing them with the tools, resources and support they need to reach their highest potential. NIGERIAN BOBSLEIGH TEAM JOINS TEAM VISA