Everything You Need To Know About The 2018 Olympic Winter Games

It's almost time to get moving and skate into the fun! Let the Olympic Winter Games inspire you to move and #StartYourImpossible with Toyota today.

1. The first Olympic Winter Games took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France, making this year the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (that is, the 23rd).

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In 1924, 10,004 spectators came to Chamonix to watch the Games.

2. Ninety-two countries will compete in 2018.

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That's 2,925 athletes!

3. And they'll be cheered on by "Soohorang," the official mascot.

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The mascot is a white tiger, which is an animal that symbolizes trust, strength, and protection in Korean folk tales. (And don't worry, the mascot is a cuter version of what's pictured above!)

4. This year, the Olympic Winter Games will see four new events, the first being Curling Mixed Doubles…

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In this version, each team is made up of one woman and one man. They play with six stones, instead of eight, and there are only eight ends, instead of 10.

5. ...as well as Speedskating Mass Start…

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This technically won't be the first time this happens at the Olympic Winter Games, since it was done in 1932 — but it's making a reappearance! The event consists of a 16-lap race where all skaters start at the same time and includes four sprints where points are awarded. The first three skaters to finish will win medals, and other skaters will be ranked based on points given out for the four sprints.

6. ...the Alpine Skiing Team...

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This features a mixed team of two men and two women competing against other national teams in slalom races. (Hint: Slalom means skiing between gates.) This event starts with 16 teams, and they compete in a knockout format over four rounds.

7. ...and Snowboard Big Air.

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This is snowboarding, taken up a notch. Snowboarders start at the top of a big snow ramp and then perform tricks off a huge jump.

8. This year’s Olympic Winter Games will have the largest number of events for women in Olympic Winter Games history.

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Talk about girl power!

9. A new high-speed rail was built just for these Olympic Winter Games.

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With this new rail, travelers from Seoul can get there in as little as 67 minutes, as opposed to the usual 2.5 hours.

10. For the first time, viewers in all US time zones will have access to live coverage of the Olympic Winter Games instead of a delayed replay.

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1,800 hours of coverage will be livestreamed this year, so everyone can get in on the action!

11. 102 medals will be given out this year, which is a new record...

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Medals will be given out in 15 disciplines across seven sports.

12. And the gold and silver medals are the heaviest in Olympic Winter Games history!

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The medals were unveiled simultaneously in Seoul and New York City. The gold medal weighs 1.29 pounds, the silver medal 1.28 pounds, and the bronze medal 1.09 pounds.

13. Celebrated South Korean designer Lee Suk-woo created this year's medals.

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They were designed to reflect the culture of the host nation. The design was inspired by the texture of tree trunks and also incorporates Hangeul, the Korean alphabet and the foundation of Korean culture.

14. Finally, it all starts on Feb. 9.

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And lasts until Feb. 25, 2018. Start the countdown now!

The incredible Winter Olympic and Paralympic athletes remind us about the importance of mobility for all. And thanks to Toyota, we can all start moving in the direction of our dreams. It’s never too late to #StartYourImpossible!

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