Feb 7, 2018 - Sports
2018 Winter Olympics will feature most African countries in history
- Zachary Basu, author of Axios Sneak Peek
Image: Loic Venance / Getty Images
The 2018 Winter Olympics, which kick off Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, will feature a record-breaking eight African countries, according to Quartz.
Why it matters: The absence of wintery conditions has played an obvious role in the fact that only 13 African countries — 15 with this year's addition of Eritrea and Nigeria — have ever participated in the Winter Games. The 13 athletes set to compete this year each have a chance to become the first African to ever win a Winter Olympics medal.
The countries:
- Kenya
- Morocco
- Ghana
- Madagascar
- South Africa
- Togo
- Eritrea
- Nigeria