ANTANANARIVO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics was "extremely well planned and organized," making athletes feel "secure" even during the pandemic, said Malagasy skier Mathieu Neumuller during a recent virtual interview with Xinhua.
"Frankly, I find that everything has been very well planned, very well organized at the sanitary level, the sanitary bubble, the Olympic village, and even on the slopes," admitted this 18-year-old Alpine skier, who represented Madagascar with Mialitiana Clerc, 21, at the Beijing Winter Olympics, where he finished 41st in the men's slalom.
The organizers of a competition of this importance must be thoughtful, he noted. "Because it's complicated, there are a lot of things to manage, like all the races or training, all the teams, and the Olympics has 91 teams."
Mathieu described the cuisine, accommodations, and transportation in the Olympic Village as "amazing." "All of the lodgings are in the same location. This allows you to wander about the entire village or be close to your lodging, and it is also very convenient."
The Olympic Village has a wide range of culinary options, including dishes from all around the world. "It was fantastic." "We sample several regional delicacies, such as Chinese dumplings. And we can eat everything we want."
Despite the epidemic, Mathieu said that "for the duration of the games, for three weeks, we felt extremely safe." "It was very well organized and reassuring for the athletes, for the races."
Mathieu, who was competing in his first Olympics, described his experience as "amazing" and "truly beyond words to explain it in actuality." "You're among the world's greatest skiers and champions."
The young athlete, who is determined to continue his skiing career and strive to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, hoped for "yet another opportunity to do mark my name for Madagascar and mark my name in the sport of alpine skiing on the African side."
Mathieu stated that the most important thing he wanted to convey to everyone was to believe in one's aspirations and to never give up.
He said he told himself that skiing was his passion, even if the last few years had not been easy for him and he had almost given up skiing on several occasions.
"Perhaps one day you'll be able to join the national squad and compete in the Olympics for your country. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you and your entire country," he added. ■
