Winter Olympics 2018 opened up 'new horizons': IOC

(L-R) Tonga's Pita Taufatofua, China's Liu Jiayu, USA's Lindsey Vonn, North Korea's Kim Ju Sik, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and South Korea's Yun Sungbin make heart shapes with their fingers during the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on February 25, 2018. Pic/ AFP

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach on Sunday said that the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games opened up "new horizons" by introducing new events and digital technology and hosting a record number of athletes. "We are embracing these new horizons," Bach said during the event's closing ceremony at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. "We offer our hand to everybody to join forces in this faith in the future." PyeongChang 2018 offered a record 102 gold medals, thanks to the addition of new events, like big air in snowboarding, mixed curling and mass start in speed skating, reports Yonhap news agency.

Bach also noted that the latest technology "has enabled more people in more countries to see winter sports in more ways." There were 2,920 athletes from 92 nations -- both Winter Olympics records -- competing here in 15 sports. "Dear athletes, you are the best ambassadors of our optimism," Bach said. "Thank you for sharing it with us. Thank you for your competitive spirit. Thank you for your fair play."

Bach also paid tribute to the athletes from South and North Korea, who marched in together behind one flag at the opening ceremony. The Koreas also assembled a joint women's hockey team -- their first combined team in any sport at an Olympics. "With your joint march, you have shared your faith in a peaceful future with all of us," Bach said. "You have shown how sport brings people together in our fragile world; you have shown how sport builds bridges. The IOC will continue this Olympic dialogue, even after we extinguish the Olympic Flame."

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