Winter Olympics: The Games have led to a new beginning, says Karim

Pakistan skier relays experience in Sochi after mega event ends.


Afp/natasha Raheel February 24, 2014
Karim continued training in Sochi; availing the facilities there for his training he will return home on Friday. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s sole athlete in the Winter Olympics Muhammad Karim dubbed his overall experience in Sochi ‘a life-changing one’, after the mega event came to a close.

Karim finished 71st out of 109 skiers in the giant slalom competition. He clocked ahead of Indian athlete Himanshu Thakur and also managed to better Pakistan’s record at the Winter Olympics.

For the Pakistan skier, the Games have changed him as an athlete; the teenager feels that watching other sports and players has also been a great help.

“Being among so many great athletes has opened my mind,” Karim told The Express Tribune. “It makes you think about the standard that you need to achieve. It’s like a new beginning.”

‘Closing ceremony a moment of pride’

Karim was also overwhelmed with what he saw at the closing ceremony, and feels proud that he represented the country.

“I’ll never forget the feeling when we marched with Pakistan’s flag at the closing ceremony,” said Karim. “There was a sense of pride. Besides that, I really enjoyed the extinguishing of the flame towards the end.”

The 18-year-old will return home in the wee hours of February 28, after the end of his event Karim continued practising in Sochi along with other athletes.

On another note, Karim observed that many alpine skiing events do not take place in Pakistan due to a lack of facilities, but he hopes that things will change.

“We don’t have big tracks for Super G or downhill skiing, but we can have slalom, giant slalom, biathlon and parallel slalom events. Hopefully when I get home, I’ll start training again if there is enough snow or else I’ll get back to physical training.”

Putin says Russia’s Sochi ‘risk’ paid off

President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Monday that Russia had taken a risk in hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, but said that the country had succeeded in showing off a different face to the world. After a build-up dogged by concerns over Russia’s human rights record and an alarming race against the clock to finish construction on time, the Games themselves won gushing praise from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“We all took a risk, not just the Russian side but also our friends from the IOC,” said Putin. “However, they believed in us and took certain risks on to themselves.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2014.

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