SCENES shines a highlight on youth world wide which are breaking down limitations and creating change. The character-driven brief movies will encourage and amaze, as these younger change-makers inform their exceptional tales.
Arif Khan is an alpine skier from India. He made his nation proud by changing into the primary Indian athlete to qualify for 2 totally different occasions on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. When he flew his nation's flag on the Olympic opening ceremony, he knew he had achieved one thing better than his goals.
Discovering the game
Arif's father, Yaseen, runs a ski store in Gulmarg, one among Kashmir's largest and highest ski resorts. Part of the western Himalayas, on the Pir Panjal Vary, the city is legendary for its breathtaking views and excellent powder snow.
When Arif was 4 years previous, Yaseen inspired his son to take up the game. Through the years, they educated diligently on the snowy slopes of Gulmarg, dedicating themselves to creating it a day by day exercise in Arif's life.
As a ten-year-old, Arif started competing within the sport. By the age of 12, he had gained his first nationwide slalom championship and by 16, he made his worldwide debut at a junior occasion in Japan. Since then, he has participated in additional than 130 worldwide occasions.
Street to the Olympics
After realising that snowboarding was rather more than a interest, Arif moved to Switzerland in 2008 to pursue his dream of representing India on the Winter Olympics. Whereas he was there, he educated at world-class European amenities.
"To compete at a world (stage), I needed to all the time have a look at the European international locations for coaching and use that stage of infrastructure and the coaches," says Arif.
Snowboarding is an costly sport. Most of Arif's funding got here from his father's ski store and his work as an teacher to fund his ardour.
Within the lead as much as the 2018 Winter Olympics, Arif used crowdfunding to cowl his coaching and different bills, however sadly it wasn't sufficient. "I missed out on the Olympics by one outcome, the place we're all the time required to get 5 outcomes. I had executed 4 and on the final outcome, I could not journey as a result of there was no time and never a lot funding," he provides.
Representing India
"Being the one athlete representing 1.4 billion folks within the Olympics is a large factor. It is a totally different thought," Arif tells Scenes.
Arif has been fuelled by making it to the Winter Olympics regardless of going through monetary hardships and accidents. He persevered and put all his efforts into qualifying. Arif is at the moment the tenth alpine skier and thirteenth Indian to take part within the Winter Olympics.
"It's the dream of all the Kashmir valley, a dream of all Indians. There can't be a better pleasure for us," says Arif's good friend, Waseem Bhat.
Arif desires to introduce India to the world as a snowboarding vacation spot. The nation is healthier identified for its sun-drenched local weather and love of cricket than winter sports activities. "Folks have totally different perceptions about us, in regards to the folks in Kashmir. I wish to inform the nation that we're very sturdy and if we're constructed up, we are able to overcome and be the most effective contenders within the nation," asserts Arif.
Arif Khan completed in forty fifth place on the 2022 Winter Olympics marking India’s best-ever efficiency in males’s large slalom occasion. He hopes his efficiency will encourage future generations of winter athletes from throughout India.
Post a Comment