Bangkok, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Thailand, with an average annual temperature of nearly 30 degrees Celsius, has no ice and snow, but has not been absent from ice and snow sports, and four Thai athletes have qualified for the Beijing Winter Olympics to compete in alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.
"I'm super excited to play in the Beijing Winter Olympics. I have encountered many setbacks in the past Winter Olympics. Representing Thailand at this event has allowed me to dream again, and I will do my best. Nikolai, 25, said in an online interview with Xinhua News Agency a few days ago. He wears a shirt printed with the Thai flag and the olympic rings.
Nikolai will participate in the Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom and Slalom events at the Winter Olympics. Currently training in Italy, he will head to Beijing at the end of January. "The Beijing Winter Olympics mean a lot to me. I hope to finish the game in this Winter Olympics and get a better ranking. ”
Nikolai is of mixed Thai and Italian descent. After missing the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, he suspended skiing and returned to work in Italy. It wasn't until 2017, at the invitation of the Thai Ski and Snowboard Association, that he revived his dream and made a comeback to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Thailand's ski team head coach Harina said nikolai's comeback was arduous and he failed to finish the first round of the giant slalom event at the 2018 Winter Olympics due to insufficient preparation time. Since then, he has maintained his training, his results have been ahead of other players, and he has enough time to prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics, believing that he can create good results.
"In order to face the Winter Olympics, the Thai Ski and Snowboard Association organized overseas training for the national team. It's rare for members of the Tropical Nation Ice and Snow Sport to come together and it was a wonderful experience for me. I see a better and better future for snow sports in Thailand. Harina said.
On November 16, 2021, the National Alpine Ski Center in the Yanqing Division of the Beijing Winter Olympics launched the snowmaking work of the Winter Olympics. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chenlin
Nikolai's teammate Mida, Thailand's best alpine skier, is 19 years old and is playing in the Winter Olympics for the first time and will compete in the women's Grand Slalom and Slalom event. "I am very excited and proud to represent Thailand at the Winter Olympics, and my goal is to be in the top 50." She said she has been practicing skiing since she was 3 years old.
She said the biggest pressure at the moment is to ensure that the new crown virus is not infected in high-intensity, intensive training, and every training is an important test.
Harina said the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on athletes. The epidemic has caused the suspension of various training camps and the cancellation of major events, so that some athletes have lost valuable opportunities. Recently, due to the mutation of the new coronavirus Omikejong strain that ravaged the world, he had to stop the Winter Olympic players from participating in the points competition.
Harina's biggest expectation for both athletes is to finish the game. "Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics has a high difficulty factor, with about 40% of athletes failing to finish the race because they ski off the track."
It is understood that Thailand has participated in the Winter Olympics since 2002, and has participated in 4 Winter Olympics as of 2018, with a total of 7 players before and after. Since the establishment of the Thai Ski and Snowboard Association in 2016, it has actively selected ice and snow sports talents among overseas Thais, organized training and competitions, and tapped potential athletes in China, which has greatly promoted the development of ice and snow sports in Thailand.
The association's secretary-general, Ser Tarasiri, said that it is very difficult for Thailand to compete for medals at the Winter Olympics, the cost of athletes training overseas and hiring coaches is very high, and due to financial constraints, it is difficult for Thai athletes to obtain professional logistics team services. But these difficulties have not extinguished the athletes' love of ice and snow sports.
"Thailand attaches great importance to the Winter Olympics. The Winter Olympics are a great stage, and Thailand has once again been able to enter the world stage through the Beijing Winter Olympics. He said.
"We cherish the opportunity to participate in the Winter Olympics. The Olympic spirit tells us that politics and sport should not be confused. Compared with some unreasonable voices boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics, athletes and coaches are most concerned about the smooth holding of the Winter Olympics as scheduled during the epidemic. Nikolai, who has been training overseas with athletes from different countries for many years, said.
National Speed Skating Hall, Beijing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chenlin
For Nikola and his teammates, the most important thing now is to stay trained and healthy and make a smooth trip to Beijing. "We must ensure that we are foolproof, that we will not be infected with the new crown virus before going to Beijing, and that we must also abide by the epidemic prevention policy of this Winter Olympics." The Closed Loop of the Beijing Winter Olympics is the safest place in the world. I am confident that this Winter Olympics will be successful. ”
Thailand's cross-country ski instructor Ben Zhen, who led the team to China, said: "I have participated in many European events, and I never thought that in ice and snow sports, we can do better competitions in Asia than in Europe. China's ability to run the tournament is amazing. Whether it's personnel organization, work efficiency, transportation, services for athletes or coordination on the field, it's all perfect. I was amazed by China's hardware facilities, such as the green slopes of Hangzhou, which let the ice and snow fall on Jiangnan at any time. China has no one in quickly learning and absorbing the world's advanced experience in hosting the Games, and I believe that the Beijing Winter Olympics will be better. ”
Source: Xinhua News Agency