It was all a dream

ABIGAIL Vieira will create history when she becomes the first athlete to represent TT at the Winter Youth Olympics. Vieira, who will participate at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, says it is not only about having fun but wants to produce a strong performance.

Abigail competes in alpine skiing and will compete in three events at the Youth Olympics – slalom, giant slalom and super giant slalom.

The young skier will leave the US and will start competing on January 10. Abigail, 17, along with her older sister Ria, was born just outside Boston in the north-east region of the US to TT couple Richard and Alison Vieira.

In an interview with Newsday,in March, Abigail at the time was almost guaranteed a spot at the Youth Olympics, but her spot is now confirmed. In the past, TT were represented at the (Senior) Winter Olympics in bobsleigh at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 editions.

Abigail will be joined by her parents in Switzerland as they will serve as the chef de mission and one of her coaches respectively. Lori Ford will also be Abigail’s coach.

Yesterday, at the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) House, on Abercromby Street, in Port of Spain, the media spoke to Abigail about her skiing journey. Those in attendance included her family, TTOC president Brian Lewis, Annette Knott of TTOC and TT Snowsports Federation president Hamish Asmath.

Abigail said she is not going to Switzerland to make up numbers. “I know some of them (her competitors) because I have skied with them since I was really young, but for my expectations, I think that I am not going there just to ski for fun...I want to be there, I want to work hard, I want to be proud of the results that I get. That might not be first, second or third, but if it’s something that I am proud of and if I am just building on the skills that I have then that is good for me.”

The teenager, who has been racing since she was six, said this is a dream come true. “This was something that I never really considered actually doing in reality, it always just seemed like a dream and now that dream is only about a week away.”

Abigail, who admires former American skier Lindsey Vonn, said despite not being born in TT she feels connected to the country.

“All of my extended family is from TT and my parents (and) my family we’ve come here every year just to spend time with our family. I feel as much of a connection to TT as I do with the US.”

Abigail said she gets a taste of the Trinidadian cuisine at the family’s house in the US. “In Massachusetts we eat doubles, my grandparents bring roti, we have hot pepper sauce in our house. I feel as connected as we possibly can be.”

The alpine skier said she would like other TT athletes to join her in the future, “I would love to grow the sport and for me if anyone wants to (compete) by no means am I going to stop them. I am going to encourage them in every way possible, just because being one of the only people from TT and skiing for TT it has given me a totally new perspective on skiing and I want other people to experience that as well if they can.”

Lewis said Abigail is paving the way for other TT winter sport athletes. “She is now a role model and a pioneer and I know she will know that when she walks into the opening ceremony carrying the national flag that it will be a historic moment and that other young athletes, who may qualify (to compete) for TT, will feel that it is important to represent TT in winter sports.”

Hamish Asmath, president of the TT Snowsports Federation, said the federation’s job is to support athletes with a TT background.

“The TT Snowsports Federation is here simply to facilitate and assist, (play) a liaison role between athletes around the world because obviously we are not going to have any athletes living and training in Trinidad.”