No country is further from the latitudes of winter sports than Ecuador. What did an athlete from this nation need to do when he wanted to participate in the Winter Olympics?
Simple, move the world.
Klaus Jungbluth became the first Ecuadorian in history to participate in these games, competing in the early hours of Friday in the 15-kilometer freestyle cross-country skiing event in Pyeongchang.
"Happy, very happy to finally have finished this process, with a lot of pride and I want to dedicate this triumph to the whole country," Jungbluth commented after the race.
Triumph? Some may ask who only observe the position that the Guayaquil athlete of German great-grandfather occupied in the race. He was 112th out of 116 competitors who finished.
"The time of the races is important but more important is to do your best in the race," Jungbluth clarified, who learned to ski during a time he lived in Norway and the Czech Republic.
Read also: Klaus Jungbluth and his 5 key races to reach the PyeongChang 2018 Games
When he decided that his goal was to put Ecuador on the map of winter sports, he had to do everything: he used roller skis to travel the streets of Guayaquil, to the incredulous look of passersby; he somehow obtained the resources to travel to Europe, in order to compete on snow.
"Little by little, gaining experience, in competitions and training, plus the help of everyone, I managed to earn the necessary points to qualify," he recalled.
There was another problem. Of course, Ecuador did not have a Ski Federation, a requirement for accepting a participant from the country in Pyeongchang. So Jungbluth created the federation, with two members, together with a compatriot.
"Yes, together with another colleague from Ecuador, we obtained the support of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee to obtain the authorization of the International Ski Federation, which allowed us to participate in official competitions, and we succeeded," he said. "It was a very sacrificial work, full of determination and sacrifice, which today bore fruit."
That is why, what happened during the day at the Alpensia Olympic Park had a taste of victory. And it had to be shared with the family.
"I dedicate it to my family, who was my great support... to the entire Ecuadorian people. My parents, my wife, my brothers, and my four daughters. They are here with me today," said the only Ecuadorian in the snow. (D)