Australia’s Largest Winter Youth Olympic Games Team Set For Gangwon 2024 

Australia’s largest ever Winter Youth Olympic Games (WYOG) Team will compete in Gangwon, South Korea with the final 24 athletes selected today by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

The 47-strong Australian team from across the country will compete across eight disciplines from 19 January to 1 February 2024. Among them are four NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athletes, Daisy Thomas (Ski Park & Pipe), Abbey Wilson (Snowboard Cross), Lottie Lodge (Moguls) and Edward Hill (Moguls) as well as two NSWIS GEN32 coaches, Jackson Holtham (Snowboard Cross) and Nicole Parks (Moguls).

Daisy Thomas, Joey Ellis and Lucinda Laird will take on the Ski Slopestyle and Big Air events, while Ally Hickman, Halle McRae and Milo Botterill will compete in the Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air.

Abbey Wilson, Lara Walsh, Cam Turner and William Martin have been selected in the Snowboard Cross, joining Cassandra Nicholls, Dakota Turner and Duncan Cowan in the Ski Cross.

Alpine skiers Max Kelly and Arkie Lennon have been selected to contest the Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G and Alpine Combined.

Satara Moon, Rosie Franzke, Samuel Johnson and Clancy Merrick Harvey have been selected to represent Australia in Cross Country Skiing, while Sascha Elvy, Emelie Haskell and Tai Vaughn have been selected for Snowboard Halfpipe.

Freestyle Mogul Skiing will make its WYOG debut in Gangwon, with Lottie Lodge and Edward Hill selected to compete across the individual and team dual moguls events.

Australian Chef De Mission and Vancouver 2010 Olympian Ramone Cooper welcomed the team’s selection.

“Congratulations to the 24 Snowboard, Freestyle Skiing, Cross Country and Alpine Skiing athletes who have been selected to compete in Gangwon,” Mr Cooper said.

“To represent your country in your chosen sport and have the opportunity to don the green and gold is a proud achievement.

“The Youth Olympic Games present a unique opportunity for these young athletes, offering more than just a chance to compete on the global stage. It’s a platform for them to connect with other cultures, learn the Olympic values and develop important skills they can take with them as they continue to progress in their sporting careers.”

“I am thrilled to welcome the 47 selected athletes to the 2024 Australian Winter Youth Olympic Team, I have no doubt they will each represent their country, sport, families and supporters with pride in just under one month’s time.”

Sixteen-year-old slopestyle and big air skier Daisy Thomas, who recently placed seventh at her senior World Cup debut, said it was a dream come true to be selected for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Team.

“This is something I have been working towards over the last two years, so it is so rewarding to finally achieve this goal and I am so proud to represent Australia,” Daisy said.

“I am most looking forward to the entire Youth Olympic experience, meeting new people from all over the world and reconnecting with some old friends in Gangwon. I am equally excited to compete and ski to my best ability alongside my teammates.

“I have never been to South Korea, so the chance to experience a new culture will also be really exciting, I can’t wait!”

Snow Australia General Manager Ben Wordsworth congratulated the selected athletes.

“Everyone who has been selected thoroughly deserves their place on the team and we can’t wait to see how they will perform in Korea,” Mr Wordsworth said.

“We’ve seen in a short amount of time how the Winter Youth Olympic Games can be a stepping stone to a successful senior career. There’s no better example of that than Josie Baff who converted a gold medal in Lausanne 2020 as a 16-year-old into a World Championship podium earlier this year.”

“Whenever Australian athletes come together in multi-discipline and multi-sport events, the camaraderie drives the team to another level.

“When athletes are enjoying themselves and being inspired by those around them it can lead to some pretty special performances and with such a great generation of young athletes coming through, I’m excited to see what that brings in January.”

The Gangwon 2024 Games will see 1900 athletes from over 70 nations compete across 7 sports, 15 disciplines and 81 events.

Gangwon 2024 Fast Facts available here

Athlete bios available here

You can watch the 2024 Youth Winter Olympic Games on 9Now

Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games Australian Team

Story and photos courtesy of Australian Olympic Committee