Saudi Arabia's first Winter Olympian, Fayik Abdi, shared his experience at the 9th Winter Asian Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, along with his expectations for the next edition of the Games.
This wasn't Abdi’s first time competing in China. He previously participated in the men's alpine skiing giant slalom event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, marking Saudi Arabia's debut at the winter edition of the world's biggest multi-sport event.
Adjusting to Yabuli took some time for Abdi, but he quickly found the experience enjoyable. More importantly, he had the support of his teammates. Joining him in alpine skiing were Sharifa Al-Sudairi and Farhoud Joud, who competed in the women’s slalom event. In addition, Saudi Arabia also sent a full men’s curling team to compete in Harbin, further expanding its presence at the Games.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), he praised the organization of the Harbin Asian Winter Games and the enthusiasm of the Chinese people. Additionally, he highlighted Yabuli, one of China’s premier skiing destinations, for its excellent snow quality.
"So the snow was very grippy. You'd hear the athletes say it's like super glue. It's super dry, so the ski reacts really quick and really well. It takes some time to get used to, but once you're used to it, I think it can be very easy snow to adjust to. And then, of course, the organization was great. This wasn't my first experience at a big event in China. Obviously, being at the 2022 Winter Olympics, I'm familiar with how they organize and welcome everyone. So it was nice to be back in China, and what was really nice this time is that I was able to experience it more," he said.
Reflecting on his travel experience in China, he praised the smooth and well-organized transportation system, highlighting the helpfulness of the people along the way.
"It's been very smooth, to be honest with you. Everyone is really supportive. I came from Yabuli to here with five bags. So on the train, so you can imagine, sound hectic. But being in China, it's actually a lot more straightforward than you think. Everyone was helpful, helping me haul my five bags through the train station. So it's been great from when we got here to now. So I'm really happy with this experience and I'm sure all the athletes will relate to that," Abdi said.
Running from Feb 7 to 14, the Harbin Asian Winter Games has brought together more than 1,270 athletes from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest ever edition of the regional sports event in terms of overall participation.
Saudi Arabia has been investing in developing winter sports at an increasing scale in recent years, and will host the next edition of the Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia's futuristic city of Neom in 2029.
As a pioneer of winter sports in his country, Abdi hopes his career will inspire more people to follow in his footsteps, further promoting the development of winter sports in Saudi Arabia.
"I'd like to see obviously more Saudis take up winter sports and sports in general. I think that's really my biggest purpose, being a pioneer in winter sports specifically. So I would feel bad if by the time I'm done with skiing we don't have a next generation of alpine skiers or winter sports athletes in general. So I really hope I can inspire and encourage more people from Saudi and the region to pick up winter sports and really give it the best shot," he said.
Saudi flag-bearer praises 9th Asian Winter Games in China
