By Martina Fuchs
GENEVA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian top skier and Olympic medal contender Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is eager to extend his winning streak at Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
"I've been to two Olympic Games so far. To be honest, I've never been more ready than I am now. The shape I'm in is really good. My joy for skiing has never been greater," Kilde told Xinhua via video link from Kitzbuhel, Austria, where he prepared for the Hahnenkamm Races, the last FIS Alpine Ski World Cup race before the Games in China.
On Friday, Kilde edged his rival, Swiss ski racer Marco Odermatt, by 0.19 seconds to win the Alpine Ski World Cup downhill on the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, which was his second downhill victory of the season and the fifth of his career.
"It has been quite an amazing season. For me, it's been just so much joy, being back skiing and competing," said Kilde, who had suffered a serious knee injury last January.
"Also to be able to be back on top is quite incredible. Now it's only a couple of weeks before the Olympics in Beijing. I'm really, really excited, and a little bit nervous."
The ski star said he expected the organization of the event to be professional and safe.
"I really look forward to racing and competing there, experiencing new hills, a new culture, trying to take in as much as I can while being there because there's going to be a shorter period of time, but there's going to be a lot of cool things happening," Kilde said.
"So really excited and just hoping that I can deliver what I can and stand on the podium and enjoy that too."
CHINA AMBITIONS
Asked about his future skiing plans in China, the athlete said he was interested in participating in more competitions in the future.
"It's going to be really interesting to see the culture and to experience a different side of the world. Growing up in Norway, it's a small country and you kind of live in a bubble. I always like to experience a new culture, that's part of my sport and part of the game I'm in."
On Wednesday, China announced that it has surpassed its target of engaging 300 million people in winter sports. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, 346 million people had taken part in outdoor and indoor winter sports-related leisure activities since 2015 when Beijing, together with Zhangjiakou, won the bid to host the Games.
His top tip for the booming number of Chinese ski athletes and ski lovers was simply to "to have fun".
"Enjoy it while doing it, because you use the mountain and you have it for yourself. You go down the slope and you enjoy the speed of it. The only place you can get that speed is in a car, but in a car you have so many rules. But on the mountain, you can simply," said Kilde.
SKI RACERS AND FARMERS
Kilde, who is an ambassador of Chinese-owned agri-tech company Syngenta Group, also said he was inspired by the passion and dedication of farmers in China and wanted to contribute to a greener, healthier and safer planet.
"I'm fascinated when I listen to the CEO of Syngenta Group Erik Fyrwald and the President for Syngenta Group China, Hengde Qin, how rich China's heritage and culture is when it comes to agriculture and how it's being successfully transformed for a sustainable future."
Kilde told Xinhua that ski racers and farmers have a number of goals in common.
"The world doesn't get any bigger, but there are more people in the world and for us to get food and stay healthy is becoming more and more important. Syngenta Group and agriculture play such an important role in feeding the world safely," Kilde explained.
"Passion, performance and innovation will always be the driver for a better future. No matter if it's the equipment in my sport or valuable solutions that contribute to a greener and safer agriculture. I am proud to be a small part of the Syngenta Group family, aiming for a better tomorrow." ■
