Members of the recently organized Mongolian bobsleigh team — from left, head coach Onol, Sainkhuu and coaches Daraa and Dorjsuren, front row, pose with a bobsleigh at the push track in PyeongChang, Tuesday.
/ Korea Times file |
By Yoon Chul
At the opening ceremony of the push track, a training facility for the bobsleigh start, at PyeongChang, Tuesday, four men, looking similar to Koreans, approached with purpose.
They were Mongolian bobsleighers here with their coaches, to learn the skills and training methods necessary to compete in the bobsleigh and skeleton.
It seems, at present at least, largely inappropriate to dub them bobsleigh or skeleton athletes because they never experienced the events for real.
After Mongolia started its own bobsleigh federation they asked Asian countries in the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT) for help and Korea answered their call.
“This is the first experience to take to the sleigh in Korea,” the Mongolia bobsleigh team manager Onol told The Korea Times.
“We are not scared. We are only excited.
“In our country winter sports are unpopular. But the new generation has lots of interest in winter sports.”
Mongolia’s entry into bobsleigh may be a tiny story in the world. But it is definitely a huge step for both Korea and Mongolia — as well as the FIBT.
The sport is now well known in Korea due mainly to efforts by national team head coach Kang Kwang-bae over the past 10 years.
Korea, albeit at a fledging stage in bobsleigh, is rolling up sleeves to help another Asian country.
“PyeongChang, while pushing for the Winter Olympics, is also trying to spread winter sports to other Asian countries, which we believe is very meaningful in hosting the Winter Games,” Kang said.
“Should PyeongChang be selected to hold the Winter Olympics in 2018, it will be a huge advantage to let other Asia countries know about winter sports,” added Kang.
The Mongolian head coach also wishes PyeongChang will be the 2018 Olympic city.
“I hope our bobsleigh team debuts at PyeongChang in 2018. Many of my friends working for sport associations in many different nations have also expressed their hope that Korea will have the chance to host the Winter Games,” Onol said.
Korea plans to invite other Asian countries every year to encourage the growth of the bobsleigh while passing on its knowhow acquired over the past 10 years.
|
이혼녀들, 결혼경험 없는 남자 선호 이유
