Robel Teklemariam
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Robel Teklemariam (born 1974) is a skier who represented Ethiopia at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He was the first athlete to represent Ethiopia in any event at the Winter Olympics.
Although he has lived in the United States since the age of 9, he has founded and heads the Ethiopian National Skiing Federation, and still speaks fluent Amharic.
He has said that without the financial help of Ethiopians abroad, he would not have made it to February's games in Italy. He also admitted that he has no chance of winning medals in either event he has entered in, Alpine and Cross country skiing. "I'm a realist. My goals are for further down the road. I want this Olympics to open my eyes and hopefully the eyes of other Ethiopians."
[edit] External links
- Ethiopian National Skiing Federation home
- BBC: Ethiopia first at Winter Olympics
- Ethiomedia: Ethiopia's Robel with a cause at Turin Olympics
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