Certains de ces athlètes pratiquent des sports inconnus dans le pays qu’ils représentent. Nombre d’entre eux sont nés et/ou ont grandi à l’étranger, sous des latitudes plus propices aux sports d’hiver, et ont choisi de participer à ces Jeux, pour certains en passant simplement d’un drapeau à un autre, pour d’autres en redécouvrant leurs racines…
Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere et Akuoma Omeoga, toutes trois américano-nigérianes, participeront à l’épreuve de bobsleigh à deux. Née à Chicago, Adigun était déjà présente pour le 100 m haies des Jeux d’été 2012 à Londres. Avec Onwumere, originaire de Dallas, et Omeoga, du Minnesota, elles forment la toute première équipe africaine de l’histoire du bobsleigh olympique.
Simidele Adeagbo, participera à l’épreuve féminine de skeleton. Née à Toronto de parents nigérians et ayant vécu au Nigeria pendant son enfance, Adeagbo a mis à profit son expérience de coureuse pour participer, il y a seulement trois mois, à la première course de skeleton de sa vie et se qualifier à 36 ans dans l’équipe olympique nigériane.
Some of these athletes are involved in sports which are unheard of in the countries they represent. A number of them were born or grew up abroad, at latitudes more favourable for winter sports, and have chosen to participate in these winter games, for some simply changing from one flag to another, while for others it’s about rediscovering their roots…
Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga, all three of them American-Nigerians, will participate in two-man bobsleigh event. Born in Chicago, Adigun already participated in the 100m hurdles at the London Summer Olympics in 2012. With Onwumere, from Dallas, and Omeoga from Minnesota, they will form the first-ever African team in the history of Olympic bobsleigh.
Simidele Adeagbo will participate in women’s skeleton. Born in Toronto to Nigerian parents and having lived in Nigeria during her childhood, Adeagbo took advantage of her experience as a runner to participate, only three months ago, in the first skeleton race of her life and to qualify at 36 years old for the Nigerian Olympic team.
Alessia Afi Dipol: a unique Olympic story
Born in Pieve di Cadore, a town in the province of Belluno in the Venice region of Italy, Dipol represented Togo in the women’s giant slalom (a ski race down a winding course marked by flags or poles). She was also affiliated with the Italian Federation of Winter Sports and the Indian Ski Federation. At the age of 18, at the Sochi Games in Russia, Dipol managed to finish 53rd and was also the flag bearer for her adopted country.
Dipol explains how she became a Togolese representative:
Mon père a une usine de vêtements de sport au Togo. Il tient à cette nation et je suis fière de l’opportunité que j’ai de concourir pour le Togo », a-t-elle confié. « Même si je suis née en Italie, que j’y vis et m’y entraîne, je serai désormais toujours avec le Togo, qui est comme une famille d’adoption.
My father has a sport clothing factory in Togo. He cares about the country and I’m proud to have the opportunity to compete for Togo. Even if I was born in Italy, living and training there, Togo will always be a part of me, it’s like my adopted family.
In a message she published in January 2018 on her blog, she didn't hide her enthusiasm and attachment to the country she represents at the Olympics: