2018 Winter Olympics: Pyeongchang Gives Emotional Presentation; Voting Underway

The 2018 Winter Olympics bid voting by the International Olympic Committee is underway with the announcement expected Wednesday morning, east coast time. The final presentations prior to that vote, however, made it an even more difficult decision for the IOC’s 94 voters.

The three cities still in the running are Munich, Germany, France’s Annecy and PyeongChang, South Korea. While PyeongChang was probably a darkhorse heading into the final presentations, the city’s presenters apparently wowed the committee according to GamesBids.com.

Jin-Sun Kim, the South Korean country’s ambassador, gave a presentation “filled with tears, laughter and familiarity” as he lobbied for the IOC to consider his country as the host site for the Winter Olympics once again -- despite two failed attempts already.

“I believe it is my destiny to stand before you for the third time,” Kim told those in attendance before admitting to GamesBids after that “we have walked through a very rough road coming here ... I was really caught up in my own emotions.”

Also in attendance supporting PyeongChang’s bid were Olympic champion figure skater Yuna Kim and Toby Dawson, a Korean born American Olympic skier.

Communications Director Theresa Rah seemed to have a good grasp of what Wednesday meant to the three countries involved.

“It is a race about dreams,” Rah said. “We know whatever decision today you make today will be an historic one.”