Fayik Abdi is the first Saudi winter Olympian

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Fayik Abdi is the first Saudi winter Olympian

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ALPINE SKIER COMPETING AT BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS 2022, FAYIK ABDI, SAYING:"I'm super proud to represent Saudi Arabia in the Winter Olympics and I hope this opens the door for people in Saudi and people in the gulf to try winter sports and to take part in the Winter Olympics one day."

Abdi will compete in Alpine skiing races

at the Beijing Winter Olympics

He has been practicing in Utah since moving to the U.S. in 2012

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ALPINE SKIER COMPETING AT BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS 2022, FAYIK ABDI, SAYING:"A challenge from a skiing point of view was not being able to ski in Saudi Arabia because obviously we don't get enough snowfall in the mountains here to ski, so I had to do most of my skiing in the United States and in Europe, so I'm looking forward to the ski centers that are opening in Saudi because I think that will give an opportunity for Saudis to practice skiing in Saudi Arabia."