Saudi skier Fayik Abdi: I can do something really special at 2026 Winter Olympics

LONDON: Saudi Arabian alpine skier Fayik Abdi says his historic participation at the Beijing Winter Olympics has inspired him to “do something really special” at the 2026 Games in Italy.

Saudi Arabia’s first Winter Olympian finished 44th overall after his two grand slalom runs on Sunday.

The 24-year-old admitted he did not ski his best in “really brutal” conditions, but insisted he will do all he can to improve and be able to compete on the global stage.

“My biggest takeaway (from the Games) is I feel so inspired by the whole experience,” he told Arab News. “I met a lot of great people and they inspired me to work 100 times harder than I was working prior to this. 

“I want to work my socks off for the next Olympics and compete in three disciplines —  giant slalom, super-G and slalom —  in the best-case scenario and be able to finish in a really good spot. I really believe I can do something special at the next Olympics.”

Abdi also hopes the Kingdom can build on his astounding achievement and have more than one athlete at Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in four years’ time.

As he revealed to Arab News earlier this month, he only started training for the Chinese showpiece last August following an invitation from the newly formed Saudi Winter Sports Federation in March 2021.

Two of Abdi’s teammates, fellow skiers Rakan Alireza and Salman Al-Houwaish, agonizingly missed out on selection for Beijing 2022 despite earning enough qualification points.

“I want it to be more than just me next time,” said Abdi, who started skiing in Lebanon aged four after being taught by his mother. “I want us to have a team and to push one another and work really hard. We can do it as we have the resources.

“We just need the fire inside. If