.jpg) Toby Dawson, former U.S. Olympic skier and honorary ambassador of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games Bid Committee, speaks during a press conference at the Riverside Hotel in Durban, South Africa, Sunday. The South Korea-born American will step up as a speaker in PyeongChang’s final presentation at the IOC General Assembly, Wednesday, ahead of the announcement of the 2018 Winter Games host. / Yonhap |
By Yoon Chul
“You have waited for a long time.”
Toby Dawson, a Korean-born American Winter Games bronze medalist, struggled to say in Korean.
They were the first words he spoke when Dawson or Kim Soo-chul met his birth parents at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 28 in 2007.
Three years later, Dawson has returned, hoping to deliver the same words to Korea, bidding to host the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.
Dawson was born in Busan in 1978 but later adopted by an American couple after he lost his birth parents in a market when he was three. He represented the U.S. at the 2006 Turin Winter Games, winning a bronze medal in the moguls.
He has joined the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Bid Committee and will appear as part of the final presentation. He is among the presenters comprising of President Lee Myung-bak, Cho Yang-ho, head of the bid committee, Park Yong-sung, head of the Korea Olympic Committee, Choung Byoung-gug, minister of culture, sports and tourism, and Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kim Yu-na.
If Kim Yu-na is seen as the top card for Korea’s presentation, Dawson could be a hidden ace. But both Kim and Dawson, with their achievements, embody the essence of PyeongChang’s slogan of “New Horizons.” On its third attempt, PyeongChang is hoping that through its new slogan that by hosting the 2018 winter games, winter sports in Asia can be expanded.
The bid committee’s delegation has arrived in Durban, South Africa, where the host nation for the 2018 Winter Games will be announced at midnight (KST) on July 6 from among PyeongChang, Munich and Annecy.
“PyeongChang is a really beautiful area. I could imagine the Olympics there,” Dawson said, Monday.
“PyeongChang is the best place for the Olympics. I trust PyeongChang’s promise. I am very happy and excited to be a member of PyeongChang’s presentation team.”
Dawson, who has been practicing for the presentation alone, will join with the rest of the presenters for the first time in a four-hour rehearsal.
“I sent a video to the committee’s officials and received feedback,” the 32-year-old said.
Dawson started helping PyeongChang’s challenge a long time ago as he joined as an honorary ambassador for PyeongChang’s 2014 Winter Games bid and accepted the same role for PyeongChang’s current bid.
He gained attention in Korea when he said in rusty Korean “Mom, Dad, I miss you,” after he secured the bronze medal in Turin.
His achievement at that time, was admired by Koreans, giving them confidence that a Korean or Korean-born could succeed in the Winter Games as a skier.Dawson became separated from his mother at Jayu Market in the southern port city of Busan in 1981. He was adopted by an American couple when he was in the first grade at elementary school.
Dawson learned to ski from his new father, a ski instructor, and went on to join the United States ski team.
In 2000, Dawson suffered a terrible injury breaking his shoulder and foot as well as losing one of his kidneys but he never gave up.
As Dawson helped Koreans who headed to America through adoption, he found his identity as well as relief. And he finally met his Korean father.
Even though Korea and his Korean parents lost him, he was a favorite with Koreans. And Dawson has done everything he can do for his country.
“I will do my best to open the Winter Games in the nation where I was born,” Dawson said.
For last 12 years the nation has longed for the Winter Games to be on its home soil. Now it is time to see it come here, as Dawson did.
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