Original Story Published by: Bereket Kidane for TefsaNews
(Above) His next goal is to put more Eritreans on skis.
The State of Eritrea will send its first representative, Shannon Ogbani-Abeda, to the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang as well as its first-ever competitor in alpine skiing.
There is pride as an Eritrean in representing Eritrea, especially as a diaspora Eritrean, which probably can’t be felt by athletes of any other nationality. After all, how many other countries in this world are a gift of their martyrs? I am sure Shannon Ogbani-Abeda, who races with the Eritrean colors on his helment, ski jackets, and pants, deeply feels that.
Eritrean athletes are ambassadors of the country in special ways. I have not doubt there are any cycling fans around the world who took out their phones and Googled “Eritrea” to see where it was located when Daniel Teklehaimanot got up on stage to don the polka dot jersey given for the King of the Moutains at the Tour de France or when Ghirmay Gebreselassie won the New York City Marathon in Manhattan broadcast around the world.
“I want to go in and rank myself up against those people and do my best. My main goal is to put Eritrea on the map,” Shannon Walday Abeda.
Now Shannon Ogbani-Abeda is introducing Eritrea to a difference Olympic sports audience.
Eritrea earned its first Olympic medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens when it swept into the global elites with Zersenay Tadessa's bronze in the men's 10,000 meters.
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