DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates will participate in the 4th Youth Olympic Winter Games, which will be held in South Korea between 19th January to 1st February, with the participation of 1,900 athletes from 80 National Olympic Committees from different continents of the world, representing the age group (15-18) years.
The competitions will take place in facilities across four different cities in Gangwon Province, the host province of the event.
The UAE team at the 4th Winter Youth Olympic Games will comprise snowboarder Amina AlMehairi, who will compete in snowboard slopestyle, and alpine skier Alex Striedger, who will compete in alpine skiing.
The participation of the Emirati duo in the Olympic competition is a great achievement, especially as it comes through qualification spots, crowning their efforts over the past period, which started from the UAE Championship in Ski Dubai in October 2022. This was followed by participation in several European local competitions to gain more exposure and raise the play
ers’ technical level.
In addition, they underwent developmental camps in several snow resorts in Switzerland, Austria, France and New Zealand, aiming to gain more exposure, raise the technical level of the players, and collect points. The qualifiers and points collected by the players at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in New Zealand last August contributed to qualifying for the Gangwon Olympics.
To participate, players must obtain an international licence issued by the International Ski Federation and be between the ages of 15-18. They must also have participated in a previous championship, a requirement that both UAE players meet.
Fares Al Mutawa, Secretary-General of the UAE National Olympic Committee, highlighted the significance of Emirati athletes participating in major events as a testament to the advanced level achieved by the Olympic movement in the UAE. He emphasised the support and belief of the wise leadership in the capabilities of the youth, their readiness to compete with elite athlet
es, and the champions’ determination to achieve their goals.
Al Mutawa expressed the committee’s commitment to supporting national sports talents, aligning with the strategic vision to empower athletes, and following the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of the National Olympic Committee, in fostering continuous communication and support for athletes to enhance their performance and achieve optimal results for UAE sports.
Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, said that the UAE’s participation is an important milestone for future participation in the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy, 2026. It also supports the UAE’s participation files in the International Ski Federation and the International Olympic Committee.
The first edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games was launched in 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria, while Lillehammer, Norway, hosted the second edition in 2016, and Lausanne, Switzerland, ho
sted the third edition in 2020.
Source: Emirates News Agency
