Manali, Jan 19 (IANS): Sahil Thakur of Himachal Pradesh -- which has produced numerous international skiers, including six Olympians -- is the only Indian participating athlete in alpine skiing in the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 in Gangwon in South Korea, starting on Friday.

The 16-year-old skier will compete in men’s alpine skiing, which start on January 21 and run till January 26.

As per the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thakur will be the third Indian athlete to feature at the Winter Youth Olympics.

Aanchal Thakur had competed in slalom and giant slalom alpine skiing events at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics in Austria in 2012.

At the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Norway, Saurabh competed in super-G, giant slalom, slalom and combined. India did not have a representative at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Gangwon 2024 will be the first time the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held in Asia. The Games will feature many venues that were used for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Around 1,900 athletes, with an equal representation of males and females, from 80 countries, are expected to compete in Gangwon 2024. Competition will be held in 15 disciplines.

The Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 will officially start with an opening ceremony, to be held simultaneously in the Gangneung Oval and PyeongChang Dome, on January 19. The closing ceremony will take place on February 1.