Fayik Abdi, Saudi Arabia's first Winter Olympian, made a memorable debut at the 9th Asian Winter Games held in Yabuli, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Joining CGTN Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi in the front-line studio, Abdi shared his positive experiences during the event.
This was not Abdi's first time competing in China; he previously participated in the Winter Olympics in Beijing three years ago. While initially adjusting to Yabuli took some time, Abdi soon found the environment enjoyable, especially with the support of his teammates. Alongside Abdi, Saudi Arabia also fielded two alpine skiers, Sharifa Al-Sudairi and Farhoud Joud, in the women's slalom event, as well as a full team of male curlers competing in Harbin.
Looking ahead, Saudi Arabia is set to host the next Asian Winter Games in 2029. As a pioneer in his country's winter sports scene, Abdi hopes his career will inspire more Saudis to engage in winter athletics, thereby promoting the development of these sports within Saudi Arabia.
In the 2022 Winter Olympics, Abdi finished 44th in the men's giant slalom event. Although he did not complete the men's slalom competitions in Yabuli, he remains determined to perform his best to secure a spot in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
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Saudi flagbearer Fayik Abdi praises 9th Asian Winter Games in China
cgtn.com
