Lebanon will send three athletes this year to compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics in cross-country skiing and alpine skiing slalom. The main station reporter recently interviewed one of the runners at the alpine ski resort in Lebanon.
From the capital Beirut, drive along the Coastal Highway all the way north and then east into the mountains. From the seaside to the snow-capped mountains, the drive takes only two hours.
Reporter Ci Xiaoning: I came to the town of Busheri, which is not only the famous cedar town in Lebanon, but also the most prestigious ice and snow resort in Lebanon, and the person I am going to interview today is named Eli Taoke, and in a few weeks, he will appear on the field of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Lebanese cross-country skier Eli Taoke: My name is Elie Taoke, a Lebanese cross-country skier, and I have been engaged in cross-country skiing since 2019.
Starting to practice skiing at the age of 8 and receiving professional training in cross-country skiing at the age of 17, Elie represented Lebanon at the 2020 Wintergreen Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland. At the 2021 Nordic Ski World Championships, Elie, who competed in the adult category for the first time, finished 54th in cross-country skiing, thus qualifying for the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Lebanese cross-country skier Elie Tawker: For the Winter Olympics, 19 is a bit too young, and my goal is to achieve as good a result as possible. Whatever the outcome, I'm going to be very happy.
Where Eli trains is the Cedar Forest Ski Resort, which is also the starting point of snow sports in Lebanon. And Eli's hometown is not far away in the town of Busheri, and he has heard about it since he was a child. Elie said he enjoys cross-country skiing and will continue to do it in the future.
Lebanese cross-country skier Eli Taoke: Cross-country skiing requires athletes to climb and descend over a wide area, and to feel nature while training and competing is a particularly beautiful sport.
As he gets closer to departure, Elie pays special attention to news related to China in his spare time, and he also knows that the Beijing Winter Olympics coincide with the Chinese New Year.
Lebanese cross-country skier Ellie Tauk: Come on for the Winter Olympics!
(Reporter Ci Xiaoning)