Terho elected to IOC's Athletes' Commission

Emma Terho from Finland and Kikkan Randall from the United States have been elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)' s Athletes' Commission by their fellow Olympians at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang, the IOC announced here on Thursday.

With a record participation rate of 83.86 per cent, athletes at the Olympic Winter Games made their way to the voting booths in the Athlete365 Space in both the PyeongChang and Gangneung Olympic Villages to cast their votes. Terho was elected with 1,045 votes, followed by Randall with 831 votes.

China's Zhang Hong, who won the country's first speed skating gold medal at Sochi four years ago, was fourth with 787 votes.

The announcement was made on Thursday at the Olympic Village by IOC Executive Board Member and Chair of the Election Committee Nicole Hoevertsz, Swedish IOC Athletes' Commission member Stefan Holm and IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell.

Terho represented Finland in the ice hockey competition at five Olympic Winter Games, winning bronze at Nagano 1998 and Vancouver 2010. Randall, meanwhile, is currently competing in her fifth Winter Games in PyeongChang.

Earlier this week, she won the United State's first-ever Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing, after topping the podium in the team sprint event alongside Jessica Diggins.

Following approval by the IOC Session, to take place on the last day of the Games, Terho and Randall will become Commission and IOC Members for an eight-year term, representing their fellow Olympians on the IOC Athletes' Commission, which serves as a link between the athletes and the IOC.

They will replace current IOC Athletes' Commission Chair Angela Ruggiero and Adam Pengilly, whose terms are finishing following their election at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010.

All 2,930 athletes competing in PyeongChang were eligible to vote and had six candidates to choose from representing three continents and five different sports. They were asked to cast votes for two different athletes from two different sports.

Prior to the start of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Kirsty Coventry was appointed as the incoming Chair of the Athletes' Commission following a vote of confidence from her fellow members.

Coventry has been a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission since 2012, and has played a significant role in developing the Commission's new strategy, which was presented by the current Chair, Angela Ruggiero, at the International Athletes' Forum last November.