BEIRUT, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese skier Cesar Arnouk on Sunday said he expects to compete well at the upcoming Beijing Olympic Winter Games, adding that he hopes the tournament is a big success.
The 21-year-old Alpine skier, who qualified for Beijing 2022 last year, said he feels confident with his form.
"I think I'm doing very well now, and I'm very proud of myself. I'm super happy that I qualified for the Winter Games. And I don't feel any pressure towards the Games. I have plenty of time to fine-tune my skills."
Starting skiing at the age of five, Arnouk made steady progress and made his mark in international competitions in recent years, notably participating in the 2019 Alpine skiing world championships.
"In the past years, I gave everything for skiing and the Olympic Games. I almost quit my social life so I could focus on prep work for the Games," he said.
Now a college student in Canada, Arnouk has been training in that country and in Europe, but he will soon be returning to Lebanon to join the national team's training camp ahead of the Games.
"It will be my first trip to China, and I'm really looking forward to it," Arnouk said.
"The Beijing Games will be a great success and I also hope I can compete well and achieve a good result. I will try my best in the competitions and I hope I can boost the morale of my country with my performance."
"I am looking forward to the opening ceremony too. I know billions of people will watch the show and it will be a big moment. It's a pity that foreign spectators cannot watch in person due to COVID-19, it's a pity that my family cannot go to China with me, but I'm still thrilled for the Olympics," he added.
The Beijing Winter Games will take place from February 4 to 20. Enditem
