Two Georgian athletes compete at Winter Youth Olympic Games

Two Georgian athletes are in Lillehammer, Norway to participate in the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2016.

Georgia is represented by luger Lasha Peradze and skier Besarion Japaridze at the top youth competition of the year.

The Lillehammer 2016 opening ceremony took place on February 12 at the Lysgardsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena, the same venue that hosted the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer in 1994.

International Lillehammer 2016 Opening Ceremony. Photo from www.olympic.org

Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach addressed the athletes taking part in Lillehammer 2016 and said: "These Games will be about your love for sport. They will also be about learning and sharing and about making new friends.

"This is what the Youth Olympic Games are all about: bringing young athletes together from all around the world to enjoy competition and friendship.”

Photo by I. Abramishvili

The opening ceremony marked the start of 10 competition days for the 1,100 young athletes from 71 National Olympic Committees taking part in Lillehammer 2016. Young athletes will compete in 70 medal events within 15 winter sport disciplines.

Georgia’s Peradze will compete later today, while Japaridze – who is participating in two disciplines – will compete on February 16 and 19.