Taiwan’s Winter Olympics wannabes set sights on Beijing despite lack of snow at home
- Covid-19 travel restrictions made it difficult for athletes such as luger Li Sin-rong and skier Lee Win-yi to train on ice and snow
- Lee hopes to be the first Taiwanese skier for 30 years to compete in the Games, while Li is practising on roads in her quest
Winter athletes on the subtropical island often travel to training facilities abroad, but Covid-19 restrictions have limited the amount of time Li, 23, and 19-year-old alpine skier Lee Win-yi have been able to practise on ice and snow.
The two women have instead relied heavily on alternative training arrangements in Taiwan as they prepared for qualifying competitions.
“From the start, we knew it would be very hard to stand on the awards podium,” Lee said. “We just want to stand on the starting platform. Most athletes are charging towards first place, but we just want a spot.”
Lee grew up in a skiing family. Her father, Ader, was one of Taiwan’s few professional skiers, but missed his chance to compete in the Olympics because of mandatory military service. He now runs an indoor ski training centre, where his daughter trains on machines that simulate ski runs.
“For Taiwan’s skiing circle, attending the Winter Olympics has been a long-held hope. It has already been 30 years,” Ader said, referring to the last Taiwanese skier to compete in the Olympics. “So everyone is forging ahead in this direction.”