We have evolved since the days of the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The African and Black presences at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics has more than quadrupled: 8 African countries are represented at these Olympics with a total of 13 athletes; Nigeria is featuring its First Bobsleigh Team ever, and it is all female! We also note that the Togolese athletes Alessia Afi Dipol, and Mathilde Amivi Petit Jean have come back from 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics to compete at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics; we applaud their endurance. I guess some of our brothers and sisters have lived in Northern countries, and enjoy these winter sports to the point of competing in them. We raise our hats to them. Below are the African athletes to watch for, and cheer for this year.
Eritrea : Shannon Adeba – Alpine skiing
Ghana : Akwasi Frimpong – Skeleton
Kenya : Sabrina Simader – Alpine skiing
Madagascar : Mialitiana Clerc – Alpine skiing
Morocco : Adam Lamhamedi – Alpine skiing
Samir Azzimani – Cross-country skiing
Nigeria : Akuoma Omeoga – Bobsleigh
Moriam Seun Adigun – Bobsleigh
Ngozi Onwumere – Bobsleigh
Simidele Adeagbo – Skeleton
South Africa: Connor Wilson – Alpine skiing
Togo : Alessia Afi Dipol – Alpine skiing
Mathilde-Amivi Petit Jean – Cross-country skiing
There are more brothers and sisters of African descent competing at these Olympics as well: 7 from the United States (with the multiple champion Shani Davis who has been a joy to watch in speed skating since the 2006 Turin Olympics), 4 from France (including 2 in figure skating), 3 from Brazil (all in bobsleigh), 5 from Canada (all in bobsleigh), 3 from Jamaica (with Jamaica first female bobsleigh team ever) and 5 from Great Britain (all in bobsleigh). I may have missed some, and if you see one I did not account for, let me know. We raise our hats to those athletes proudly representing their nations, and cheer them to victory!
I remember a news story last year where they interviewed the Nigerian bobsled team members which was really fascinating. I didn’t realize that many African nations were represented in last year’s winter Olympics.
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Right… no one really pays attention because it is hard to think of Africans at the Winter Olympics. Then one is quite surprised to see the number of Africans and people of African descent represented at those games.
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That’s certainly true. I didn’t realize it was this many during that year. When that news story came up on the Nigerian bobsled team, some people compared it to the Jamaican bobsled team that people know because of the Cool Runnings movie.
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