Olympics-Alpine skiing-India’s Arif Khan ready for date with destiny in Beijing

By Simon Jennings

BENGALURU (Reuters) – When India’s Arif Khan steps into the Beijing Nationwide Stadium for the opening ceremony at subsequent month’s Winter Olympics it should mark the fruits of a journey over a decade within the making.

Khan, who has certified in slalom and big slalom, is India’s sole consultant on the Video games and his path to the Olympics from the snowy slopes of conflict-ridden Kashmir was removed from simple.

“It’s going to be an enormous accountability, being one in a billion and carrying the flag,” the 31-year-old Khan informed Reuters in an interview. “That will probably be an inspirational second.”

Khan was launched to snowboarding on the age of 4 by his father and turned skilled 14 years in the past at 18. He has represented India in 127 worldwide occasions, competing primarily in Europe on a shoestring finances.

“(In India) this sport just isn’t that well-liked,” he stated. You don’t get financially supported. That’s the largest problem.

“In case you’re coaching for world-level occasions … you require a minimum of 110,000 euros ($124,740) a season. In case you’re coaching only for the Olympics, you require about 75,000 euros.

“That’s the finances. In case you don’t have this finances, you’re not going to succeed in anyplace.”

These figures symbolize a major hurdle for an athlete from a rustic the place the minimal each day wage is about 176 Indian rupees ($2.37).

Khan’s profession has been funded primarily by his household. His father has operated a tour firm and ski tools store in Gulmarg, Kashmir because the Eighties.

“No matter we used to earn, we (put aside) a part of it for my coaching,” Khan added. “Our main earnings will depend on tourism.

“If there’s a great yr of tourism, it might probably assist me to coach and journey for races for 3 to 4 months.”

KASHMIR CONFLICT

However life in Kashmir is unpredictable.

Khan’s Himalayan house is on the centre of a long-running battle between India and neighbouring Pakistan, with curfews, lockdowns and different restrictions commonplace even earlier than COVID-19 difficult issues additional.

Within the build-up to the 2018 Video games, unrest in Kashmir led to tourism drying up, forcing Khan to show to crowdfunding in a determined, however finally unsuccessful, try and maintain competing.

“There was no tourism. We had no assist from anyplace,” he stated. “That was one of many causes I wanted to provide you with crowdfunding, however … it didn’t turn into a lot.

“With out funding, I couldn’t attain my coaching, I couldn’t meet up with the races.

“I managed 4 outcomes (to qualify for the Video games) and I wanted 5. The fifth one, I fell quick. If there was time, cash … it may have been finished.”

This time round, Khan is supported by Indian conglomerate JSW Group’s sports activities arm, JSW Sports activities, which is overlaying 40% of his prices. The Jammu and Kashmir authorities is overlaying 10%, he stated, and he’s paying the remaining himself.

Khan sealed his Olympic berth in slalom in Dubai in November and certified for large slalom with a 14th-placed end in Montenegro in December.

His goal is to qualify within the high 30 of each occasions in Beijing.

Even love took a backseat the previous yr, with Khan suspending his marriage ceremony to concentrate on qualifying.

“It was up and down whether or not I ought to select the Olympics first or get married first,” he stated. “I went and spoke to (my fiancee) and she or he stated okay.

“The households have been pointing their eyes in direction of us … like ‘What are you guys doing delaying and suspending by yet another yr?’ We stated I’ve to concentrate on my coaching and I don’t need to be distracted by something.

“She’s pleased. She helps me.”

($1 = 0.8818 euros)

($1 = 74.3827 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Modifying by Ken Ferris)