Kosovo's Rio 2016 judo gold medallist Majlinda Kelmendi supported the Olympic Festival held in Pristina ©Getty Images

Kosovo's Rio 2016 judo gold medallist Majlinda Kelmendi was one of the most notable visitors to a successful Olympic Festival held in the capital Pristina, in parallel with the country's first participation at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Skier Albin Tahiri was the first, and sole, representative for the country in the skiing events in South Korea last month.

Meanwhile, back home, Kelmendi tried her hand at a new sport, joining thousands of young fellow countrymen and women in taking part in curling.

Kosovo was one of nine National Olympic Committees involved with the Festival programme.

Shqipe Bajçinca-Brestovci, a Kosovo Olympic Committee Executive Board member, said that the goal of the Festival - which took place in improvised field arenas set in the Zahir Pajaziti Square in Pristina - was to introduce children to ice skating, ice hockey and curling.

Children try out winter sports as part of the Olympic Festival held in Pristina in parallel to the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games ©UNKT
Children try out winter sports as part of the Olympic Festival held in Pristina in parallel to the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games ©UNKT

"Approximately 8,760 children participated in the ice skating, while 4,795 participated in curling," she said.

"Children's participation in these sports fulfills Kosovo Olympic Committee's goal."

The festival's main attraction was the synthetic ice rink, with more than 100 volunteers from the local University participating to help children and adults alike.

The Olympic Festival hosted in Kosovo was part of a nine-pilot project for increasing the role of National Olympic Committees, operating in collaboration with the United Nations Kosovo Team.

The other pilot schemes run were in Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, The Netherlands and Slovenia.