After watching the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics,
Have you found that,
There are many tropical and subtropical countries
Athletes were also sent to the Winter Olympics:
Jamaica, Saudi Arabia,
Madagascar, Eritrea
……
Why are these tropical and subtropical countries sending players
Or mostly in alpine skiing?
Low barrier to entry
The name alpine skiing sounds cool, but in fact, ordinary people go skiing on the slopes and belong to the category of alpine skiing. The more popular explanation for alpine skiing is to rush down the slopes. Whoever gets to the finish line faster is called racing; those who have flags are called slalom (divided into slalom, big slalom and super slalom).
Image source Xinhua News Agency.
As the most commonly used method of skiing by skiers, alpine skiing may be one of the earliest and most exposed snow sports for athletes from countries and regions without snow, so it is not surprising to choose to become an alpine skier.
"The Second Generation of Immigrants"
Second-generation immigrants from the tropics are an important force for these countries to participate in the Winter Olympics.
Trinidad and Tobago participated in three consecutive Winter Olympics from 1994 to 2002. At the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, Abigail Vière, an alpine skier born in the United States and to parents from Trinidad and Tobago, chose to represent Trinidad and Tobago, the island nation's first Winter Olympic athlete. "Although Trinidad and Tobago has only sunshine, we have expatriates living in North America and Europe, where there is a very long culture of winter sports, and these expatriates and their descendants can help Tridor in this area."
Winter Olympics Welcome 'Global Engagement'
Alpine skiing is indeed a breakthrough for many countries to tie up the Winter Olympics.
Bolivia in South America will send two athletes, Brettforth and Glenlund, to compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics in alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.
Mauricio Belmont Birjan, chargé d'affaires plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Bolivia in China, said that Bolivia's delegation to the Beijing Winter Olympics sent a clear signal that Bolivia fully supports the hosting of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
"Ice and snow sports are relatively niche in Bolivia, and it is important for us to have athletes representIng Bolivia at the Beijing Winter Olympics."
Saudi Arabia will send two alpine skiers to the Beijing Winter Olympics, the first time ever that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have sent athletes to the Winter Olympics.
According to the official Twitter account of the Saudi Olympic Committee, the people who filled this historical gap were Saudi alpine skiers Salman Huwesh and Fayik Abdi.
Trinidad and Tobago athlete Lewis, who participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, is particularly looking forward to the Winter Olympics, saying that despite challenges and epidemic obstacles, the Beijing Winter Olympics still welcome the participation of athletes from all over the world and work with everyone to create a better future and a community with a shared future for mankind.
CCTV integrates the official website of the State General Administration of Sport, New Culture Daily, Global Times, Xinhua News Agency
Source: CCTV