CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – For a Venezuelan skier who had only trained on wheels beneath a bright sun, the slopes of Finland proved a mighty challenge.
Adrian Solano wobbled nervously backward as he exited the starting gate at the Lahti2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships this week. He fumbled into the white powder after sliding down a small hill. And he tried awkwardly walking up an incline while others raced by him.
By Thursday, sports commentators circulating videos of his near-comedic performance online had dubbed him the worst skier alive.
Solano, however, teetered along, unfazed.
“From here to the Olympics!” he proclaimed in an interview with Norwegian tabloid Dagbladet.