As an avid cross-country skiier myself, who learned how to ski only at 25 and has been skiing as much as possible each winter since for the past 8 years, I am really bothered by this guy being dubbed a "hero".
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/winter-olympics/winter-olympics-2018-german-madrazo-cross-country-celebrations-video-watch-finishes-last-a8214096.html
Why is he a hero? He picked a non-winter olympic country of Mexico to qualify for its "cross country team". He learns how to ski a year before. He finishes dead last, 25 MINUTES behind the winner...what did he expect? Why is he a hero?
Cross-country skiing is one of the hardest sports out there, in terms of endurance. It takes a LOT of skill that must be learned from a young age (kind of like swimming). Pros dedicate their whole lives to it from childhood....
Looking at the results of that 15km race, it appears there are other athletes ahead of him who raced for a warm country and were also, equally slow (compared to the real pros). What is the point? It is like buying your way into an ITU national age grouper team vs qualifying - you just don't belong there...
I find this to be a mockery and kind of disrespectful to the hard work of the pros. Now if this guy picked up the sport after 40 AND qualified for the US cross country ski team AND made it to the olympics, but finished last, that would be a different story.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/winter-olympics/winter-olympics-2018-german-madrazo-cross-country-celebrations-video-watch-finishes-last-a8214096.html
Why is he a hero? He picked a non-winter olympic country of Mexico to qualify for its "cross country team". He learns how to ski a year before. He finishes dead last, 25 MINUTES behind the winner...what did he expect? Why is he a hero?
Cross-country skiing is one of the hardest sports out there, in terms of endurance. It takes a LOT of skill that must be learned from a young age (kind of like swimming). Pros dedicate their whole lives to it from childhood....
Looking at the results of that 15km race, it appears there are other athletes ahead of him who raced for a warm country and were also, equally slow (compared to the real pros). What is the point? It is like buying your way into an ITU national age grouper team vs qualifying - you just don't belong there...
I find this to be a mockery and kind of disrespectful to the hard work of the pros. Now if this guy picked up the sport after 40 AND qualified for the US cross country ski team AND made it to the olympics, but finished last, that would be a different story.