Playing alone| an Ecuadorian ski girl with a birthday on her birthday during the Spring Festival

Live Bar February 1, Sarah Escobar celebrated her 20th birthday on February 1. In the first 19 years, her life has been far more exciting than many of her peers: she is the first female Winter Olympic athlete in the history of the tropical country of Ecuador, the country's first alpine skier to enter the Winter Olympics, and three days later at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, she will also serve as the standard-bearer of the Ecuadorian delegation.

She was the only one in the Ecuadorian delegation.

The birthday coincided with the Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger in China, and Sarah received a special gift: a Chinese knot.

"As soon as I entered the athletes' break, someone wished us 'Happy Chinese New Year', and I was so happy because today is my birthday! They were pleasantly surprised to learn about it and gave it to me. Sarah lifted up a Chinese knot with the word "Fu" attached to it, and smiled and joined the spring photo with the athletes on the door of the rest room.

The gift came from volunteers at the National Alpine Ski Center. "We didn't know it beforehand, but it was a beautiful coincidence." One volunteer said, "Maybe that's fate." ”

Sarah's relationship with the Olympics began when she was three years old. Her parents were born in Ecuador and later immigrated to the United States. The couple loved winter so much that they taught their daughter how to ski when she was three years old. At that time, young Sarah would lie in bed because she didn't want to train, and her parents would have to use cookies as a reward before they would go out.

But when she saw the picture of the Winter Olympics, little Sarah would say to her father, "You know Dad, wait and see, one day I will go there." ”

At the age of 16, Sarah began competing in FIS-affiliated competitions, and her coach asked her to choose whether to represent the United States or Ecuador, which she chose. It was her distant "home", in northwestern South America, across the equator, and snow could only be seen on the mountains above 4,500 meters above sea level. In 2018, the country only participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time, and again only one athlete, Klaus Junblut, finished 108 in the men's 15 km free technique in cross-country skiing.

"It is an honor to represent my parents' hometown and all Ecuadorians, it is unique and historic." Sarah said that although no one was with her on the field, the Ecuadorian people and the Olympic Committee gave her tremendous support. "I grew up in a small mountainous area in New Jersey [in the United States], and now I'm able to compete all over the world, and it's the people of Ecuador who gave me these honors."

After coming to Beijing, the atmosphere of the Olympic family also gave her a sense of belonging. "Everywhere you go, people say to you, 'Hello!' Good luck'. No matter which country they come from, there is no difference between us, we are all athletes, with similar experiences, a united community. "That's the olympic spirit, and it encourages you to communicate with people." ”

It was also her first time in China, and she was blown away by the mountainous sleigh and alpine ski resorts in Yanqing. "These buildings are so beautiful! I'm sure I've taken a thousand pictures! Thank you for doing such a great job and I'm grateful that the competition can be held here. ”

The 20-year-old girl will appear under the lights of the Bird's Nest on February 4. Speaking of the opening ceremony, her eyes lit up: "When I walk out with the Ecuadorian flag, I will definitely cry." ”

(Xinhua News Agency)