Beyond the podium: Inside the thrilling world of Gangwon 2024
The Chronicle of Our Adventures as Journalists at the Youth Olympic Games
On January 27, 2024, the editorial staff’s ‘Dream Team’ took off for Seoul to cover the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in South Korea. Ms. Bonelli, Mr. de Buchère, teachers at the IFS, and Alexandra Colineau, editor-in-chief of the French programme “Le dessous des images” on Arte, accompany us on this adventure. Here is the chronicle of our extraordinary week.
Sunday 28 January: The First Steps Towards an Exciting Adventure
On Sunday afternoon, after a night on the plane and three hours on the bus, it’s time to collect our accreditations, the precious passes granting access to the press backstage. Exceptionally, we were fortunate to obtain them with the assistance of the British Embassy, the IOC (International Olympic Committee), and Alexandra Colineau. Once on site, we explored the venues and organized our week’s schedule based on the various events: roles are assigned by Alexandra Colineau, our editor-in-chief. Excitement is at its peak!
Then, we headed to the Gangneung Hockey Center to attend the match between the French and the Germans. We dive straight into action. Louis, our photographer, captures the intense moments, Joseph prepares for his live report, while Clémence gets ready to film it. The first live report posted on Instagram marks the start of our journalistic publications: our daily rendezvous is set at 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM. At the start, the pace of publishing was intense, but we managed to stay ahead each time to meet deadlines. Thankfully, Lou, the social media expert, was there! She was primarily responsible for managing our posts. By the way, you can find our work on @ifssingapore.
Monday 29th January: Meeting the Athletes
On the second day, we followed figure skating. Lillian, from Australia, interviews the young athletes from her country right after their pair’s performance. It’s a chance to experience the mixed zone: a mandatory passage where athletes can answer journalists’ questions before returning to their dressing rooms. As for Théodore and Cassandre, they interview the French skater, Gianni Motilla. Félix and Sumi, both Franco-Koreans, interview Kim Hyun-Gyeom, the Korean who clinched the gold medal. Many local journalists surround them, but our students manage to stand out among them. They are, in fact, our invaluable interpreters, essential for communicating with volunteers who don’t speak English well. They also introduce us to their country’s culture and take care of ordering our meals.
Tuesday 30 January: A Detour through Reserved Spaces
On the third day, we attend our first curling matches, a kind of ice petanque. The Nigerian team faces Korea. They are the only African team selected in this discipline. They’re a bit like the Nigerian Rasta Rocketts! These young athletes train on a frozen plastic sheet that mimics the properties of ice. We’re far from a real ice rink. Back at the hockey center, Emmanuel Colliot exceptionally opens the doors to the women’s team locker room for us. Such tidiness! Uniforms neatly arranged, skates sharpened, gloves hung, sticks aligned! A few minutes later, a commotion comes from the corridor, the Czechs who were on break, return to the ice. They are tall and very impressive with their protective gear.
Wednesday 31 January : Just a Few Steps Away from the Athletes
On the fourth day, we head to Pyeongchang for freestyle skiing halfpipe. We are in the front row, in the space reserved for journalists. Skiers pass just meters away from us, the place turns out to be perfect for taking beautiful photos. Back at the hotel, we meet Julie Lacoste, the psychologist, and André-Pierre Goubert, the mission chief, for an interview about the well-being of athletes within the French team.
Thursday 1 February: The Final Glows of the Olympic Flame
On the fifth day, Gangneung is an improbable city between mountains and sea. We stroll on the beach before attending the last event of these YOG. A very tight curling match between the Danish siblings and the English. A quick visit to the ice rink while waiting for the closing ceremony in the snow. Around 8:00 PM, the Olympic flame went out, marking the end of an intense week.
This trip has allowed us to acquire numerous journalistic skills, but also to learn how to work as a team and to share memorable moments. Communicating among ourselves, helping each other, overcoming our apprehensions to meet others, respecting a schedule are essential skills that will serve us in our adult lives. As Alexandra Colineau would say: “You have to put a foot in the door and with a smile, it’s even better!”
Back in Singapore, the smiles on our faces or tears in our eyes speak for themselves, we are all delighted to have participated in this fabulous adventure!
Cassandre
