Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
It’s a packed week for global sports enthusiasts with the Superbowl (American football) and Six Nations (rugby union) openers. However, it is also the final week before the commencement of the 22nd Winter Olympics.
Originating in Chamonix, France, in 1924, this year’s event in Sochi, Russia, will be attended by up to 90 nations. Amongst those will be some countries entering for the first time.
Many will be familiar with the 1993 film, Cool Runnings, which immortalized – loosely – the 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team. Jamaica will be returning again this year although I don’t think they are regulars! This will be the first time they have sent representatives for bobsled since 2002, ironically led by the man who retired in the interim period, Winston Watts (he also competed in 1994 and 1998). It was originally intended that they would enter a four-man team although funding constraints have resulted in this being reduced to two.
Watts has been funding the team from his base in the US although openly admitted that he had taken the team as far as possible. Fortunately, since qualification was secured in St Moritz last week other funds have been donated to allow for the purchase of new equipment and travel.
However, they are not alone in being obscure entrants to the Winter Olympics. Brazil, Thailand and the Virgin Islands will also be there – although this illustrious trio has been in action before. There will be seven nations sending representatives for the first time.
The Caribbean will also be supporting newcomers, the Commonwealth of Dominica. Situated off the coast of Venezuela this tropical climate has a population of only 70,000. It will be represented by spouses, Gary and Angelica di Silvestri, who will be competing in cross-country skiing.
One skier will become the first to have formally qualified for his nation by meeting the minimum Olympic standard by finishing 25th in an FIS race (the tier below the World Cup) in Serbia in December. The alpine skier will be representing a country only formed in 2002, Timor Leste. Formerly East Timor, the tiny nation became the first sovereign state of the new Millennium after Indonesia relinquished control.
Tonga is the only debut nation not to send a skier. Fuahea Semi will be competing in the luge although, if you scan the list of entrants you will not find this name. Bizarrely he has changed his name, as part of a sales gimmick, to that of a German lingerie company, Bruno Banani.
Semi has been adorned with a logo stating that he is ‘coconut powered’ as he slid to 28th place to qualify in Utah in December.
A double debutant is Togo who will send Alessia Afi Dipol (slalom and giant slalom) and Mathilde-Amivi Petitjean (cross country). Africa will also be represented for the first time by 20-year-old Zimbabwean, Luke Steyn, although don’t expect him to collect any medals. Competing in the slalom and giant slalom, Steyn has a current world ranking of 2,860th and 1,659th respectively!
The strongest prospects rest with Paraguayan, Julia Marino, who competes in an event that is also making its debut. Marino has already achieved four top-20 finishes in freestyle skiing, including one second-placed finish in Sierra Nevada.
The Mediterranean island of Malta completes the list with skier, Elise Pellegrin, their sole representative.
The list of unlikely nations to have sent competitors to past Winter Olympics who will be letting Sochi ‘slide’ include Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal and South Africa. Indian competitors will have to compete as independent athletes as the Indian Olympic Association has failed to ratify a new constitution as required by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The athletes themselves have also suffered from a lack of funding with the Sports Ministry failing to release funds that would allow the purchase of even basic equipment.
Another intriguing entrant is Vanessa Mae who will be skiing for Thailand. Better known as a violinist, Mae, 35, struggled to meet the qualification criteria, even resorting to racing in junior competitions to attain the necessary points.
Racing under her father’s surname, Vanakorn, Mae has been a keen skier since childhood.
Eight new events will also make their mark in Sochi with half of these having both men’s and women’s competitions. Most popular amongst these are the halfpipe and the slopestyle freestyle skiing. Relay events in the luge and biathlon will complement the new women’s ski jump event. The team figure skating will also test the strength in depth of competing nations.
