USA Sweeps Olympic Gold: Epic Victory!
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Representation matters. A record 55 countries are participating in the 2026 Winter Paralympics, and 15 of those have just one athlete competing. “This is a message that Haitians have a seat at every table,” Ralf Etienne said in the mixed zone Friday.
“I’m making history as the first Haitian Winter Paralympian, the first standing Caribbean (skier) and the second Caribbean overall. ” He had just completed the second of two giant slalom runs, completely unbothered about being disqualified for missing a gate close to the finish. “‘So Haiti has a skier.
’ That’s what my coach said when I came down. And that’s the most beautiful sentence I’ve heard in a long time,” he added. Etienne lost his leg because of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti — he was buried in the rubble for eight hours.
Only three years ago did he first ski, joining friends on a trip to the mountains. “I touched the snow, and then I never turned back,” the 36-year-old said, adding that he reckons he has spent only 80 days of his life skiing. He conducted so many post-race interviews and spoke for so long that he drank an entire bottle of water by the time he left the mixed zone.
“I get to tell the Haitian youth that, if I can go to the top of the Dolomites with the most elite skiers, not just racing but racing competitively with one leg … they can do anything. ” Roger Puig Davi, from Andorra, has been his country’s sole representative at the past three Games. “I’m very patriotic,” he said, after placing 15th in the men’s standing giant slalom.
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