French speed skater Tawan Thomas mesmerized audiences with his sensational performance in the boys’ 500m, 1000m and 1500m race. France’s flag bearer powerful strides and impeccable technique propelled him to victory, clinching three medals and etching his name into Winter EYOF history as a skating sensation.
Hungarian snowboarder Kamilla Kozuback stole the spotlight with her stellar performance in the women’s snowboard slopestyle event. Negotiating challenging terrain and fierce competition, Kozuback showcased her agility and fearlessness, claiming gold and solidifying her status as a rising star in the snowboarding world.
Czech Republic and Sweden battled fiercely for gold in girls’ ice hockey, ending in a thrilling shootout. Czech Republic, dominant throughout the tournament, took the lead with an unassisted goal from Adela Sapovalivova. Yet, Sweden fought back, setting the score even at the end of the game time. As the game remained deadlocked after overtime, tension mounted in the shootout. Goalkeepers Michaela Hesova and Felicia Frank showcased their skills, denying goal after goal. Ultimately, it was Czech Republic who emerged victorious, scoring the decisive goal and clinching gold in a nail-biting finish.
The 2022 winter EYOF, originally scheduled to take place in 2021, was postponed to the start of 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; it was celebrated in the beautiful city of Vuokatti, Finland – as it was the 2001 edition. The Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) Vuokatti 2022 showcased the best young talent from across the continent and broke records on and off the field of play throughout the week.
A total of 46 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) came together for this event with athletes from 13 NOCs claiming gold medals across nine sporting disciplines. Nearly 1000 athletes, almost evenly split between genders, supported by coaches and medical staff.
The festival received media coverage in 25+ countries, engaging over 1,000 volunteers and 20 EYOA ambassadors. Social media buzzed with a reach of 32 billion and 74,354 total event views over five days, with short track, figure skating, and girls’ ice hockey emerging as the top-viewed sports.