S. Koreans rejoice after painful 10-year Olympic wait

PYEONGCHANG: South Koreans wept tears of joy -- and relief -- at winning the 2018 Olympics at their third attempt early on Thursday after a painful decade-long wait to stage Asia's third Winter Games and the first on the continent for 20 years.

Fireworks lit up the midnight sky around a giant ski jump nestled in the foothills of the Taeback mountains near the small town of Pyeongchang and thousands screamed in delight after the International Olympic Committee vote in Durban, South Africa.

"It feel likes the sky is falling. I feel so good right now, at last they are coming to Pyeongchang," said Dohyun Lee, a 20-year-old Korean-American from New Jersey.

"Pyeongchang is the perfect place for the Olympics. Our country is expanding very quickly."

On a cool summer's night, South Koreans had gathered for up to 10 hours around the Alpensia resort's newly constructed ski jump, dancing to a K-pop boy band and enjoying traditional Korean folk dance and songs before the decision.

Robed monks and hundreds of soldiers in fatigue were among the throng of patriotic supporters waving the national flag and 'clapper' balloons popular at South Korean sports events. The balloons were emblazoned with the bid's logo "New Horizons."

Fans chanted "Yes, Pyeongchang" leading up to the decision, desperately willing the vote to go their way.

"I am so happy," said Kwon Heok-cheol, 47, tears streaming down his face. "After two fails at last we have won. We have all stayed together through this, helping each other."

Pyeongchang, some three hours drive northeast of the capital Seoul, beat off bids by Munich and Annecy, France to give the country its second Olympics after hosting the Summer Games in 1988.

"WE WANTED THIS BADLY"

South Koreans had endured two heart stopping failures to win the Winter Games, pipped at the post by Vancouver and Sochi, eight and four years ago respectively, and threw everything at its third attempt -- mainly by highlighting that it was Asia's turn.

Japan is the only Asian country to host a Winter Olympics -- in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998.

Pyeongchang ran under the slogan "New Horizons," arguing Asia's stellar economic growth in recent decades and the continent's massive population offered an untapped market for winter sports.

"I feel so happy and excited, and grateful too," said 12-year-old Young Eun-song who travelled to the Alpensia resort from Incheon near Seoul.

"We wanted this so badly. We have tried three times, you know," added her mother Mi Hyang-kim, aged 38.

The bid had also adopted the slogan "Korea fighting."

Despite the agony of its past failures, South Koreans have embraced the Pyeongchang bid with gusto, and winter sports, notably snowboarding, have thrived at the dozen or so resorts around the country.

At the same time, the country has vaulted from winter sport's obscurity of a couple of decades ago to become one of the top medal winners at the Olympics, and now boasts one of the sport's glamour stars in figure skater Kim Yu-na. (Reuters)