Saudi Arabia's first Winter Olympian, alpine skier Fayik Abdi, is gearing up for his Asian Winter Games debut in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, this Sunday. In an exclusive CGTN Sports Scene interview, the 27-year-old revealed how his historic 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics appearance ignited a snowsports movement in the desert kingdom.
\"Skiing feels like magic – there's no way to replicate the adrenaline,\" said Abdi, who competed in the men's giant slalom. His trailblazing performance came as Saudi Arabia accelerates investments in winter sports infrastructure, culminating in its successful bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena.
As architect of Saudi's winning bid, Abdi emphasized cross-cultural exchange: \"China's expertise in growing winter sports post-2008 Olympics is invaluable. We're building our future through international collaboration.\" Analysts note Saudi's winter sports push aligns with broader Middle Eastern initiatives to diversify tourism and youth engagement.
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Saudi Arabia's first Winter Olympian set for Asian Winter Games debut
cgtn.com
