Listen to useless PAP dog Teo Ser Luck on Singapore in Winter Olympics 2014.

[Highfalutin]

Yes, thats the part that I found strange. He obviously does not know his geography or what's going in the world.

An African in Search of Winter Olympic Glory
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong a Ghanaian Slalom Skier
Oct 28, 2009 Uni Blake

Africans have long dominated the athletic stage; producing record breaking track and field athletes. However, Africa has yet to produce notable winter athletes.



The continent’s temperate climate serves as an advantage to warm weather sporting events but acts as a huge crutch in the world of winter sports. Despite the weather disadvantage, Africa has managed to produce a few daring individuals willing enough to brave the elements and take on the unfamiliar and uncharacteristic sporting events of the Winter Olympics.

Africa will be Represented in the Winter Olympics
As the clock winds down in Vancouver heralding the beginning of the 2010 Winter Olympics, more nations will continue to add their names to the roster of participating countries. Africa will be represented. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be the first Winter Games that will have Ghana on its roster. The world will meet Africa’s next promise to the winter sports; skier Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong.

Ghana’s Nkrumah-Acheampong Starting Skiing as a Adult
Born to a Ghanaian diplomat living in Glasgow in December of 1974, Nkrumah-Acheampong, in the typical fashion of most African Winter Olympians, did not experience snow until he was in his 20s.When he was only 2 years old his father moved from Glasgow to a town on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana. While growing up in Ghana, Nkrumah-Acheampong dreamed of being a world stage athlete and in University he acted on his dreams by competing in track and field, volleyball, basketball, soccer and badminton. It was apparent that he loved sports. However, his knack and passion for skiing was not uncovered until years later while he worked as a receptionist at the Snozone Xscape indoor skiing center in Milton Keynes. There Kwame had a “why not” moment. He put on pair of skis and has been moving forward on them ever since.Introducing Skiing to Africans
The best part of his story, not only has he carried himself forward but he is also determined to bring the sport of skiing to Ghana. His dream is to open a grass ski slope or an artificial ski slope in Ghana that will encourage and foster young Ghanaians skiers into follow their dreams like he did.

Kwame Qualifies for the Winter Olympics
Qualifying for the 2010 Winter Olympics was no easy task. He started his quest in 2006 by attempting to represent Ghana in the Winter Olympics; he came close but ultimately did not qualify. Nkrumah-Acheampong did not let the disappointment slow him down but instead he built upon it to continue his pursuit. He spent the next three years chasing his dream, leaving his wife and daughter, he travelled to distant ski slopes to train and compete. Not only did he have to overcome the financial hurdle, he also had to overcome the stigma attached to African skiers. In March of 2009, his hard work paid off; Nkrumah-Acheampong qualified to represent Ghana in the Slalom and the Giant Slalom in 2010 Winter Olympics



Read more at Suite101: An African in Search of Winter Olympic Glory: Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong a Ghanaian Slalom Skier http://winterolympicgames.suite101...._search_of_winter_olympic_glory#ixzz0fXzaW2xv

 

[Highfalutin]

Lone star: Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, Ghana's one-man ski team Photo: ACTION IMAGES
Every Olympian has a story to tell. A story of dedication, personal sacrifice, early mornings, late evenings, strict training regimes and the weight of expectation from friends, supporters and in many cases entire nations.

On February 21, in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, one such story will at last come to fruition. The eyes of the world will be upon Kwame Nkrumah- Acheampong, also known as the Snow Leopard, as he becomes Ghana's first ever athlete to compete in the Winter Olympic Games.


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Heli-skiing: in search of the deepest powderHis is a journey that epitomises the Olympic spirit, for it was only seven years ago that he first donned a pair of skis and slid the 170 metres from the top to the bottom of an indoor ski slope in Milton Keynes, where he was working at the time. That ski run was to change his life for ever.

"I was hooked from the start," he says, from his training base on Vancouver Island in Canada, where he is already proving to be a hit with the media and public alike.

By 2005, he had become the first black African to join the international skiing circuit and by March of last year he had qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The feat was made all the more incredible by the fact that he was self-financed and spent many nights sleeping in his freezing cold van at competitions.

"Since qualifying, the last 11 months have been very hard work. Not only have I been trying to keep up with my physical training, I have had to do all the paperwork required for the registration of the Ghana Olympic Committee," he says.

His mountain time has also been limited by setbacks after his Uzbekistani coach, Denis Gregorev, encountered visa problems and couldn't join him for any structured training until late last December. He has spent much of his preparation time training himself. In addition to this, up to a few weeks ago, the Ghanaian ski team could only afford to send him alone to the Olympics.

That changed when the Irish bookmakers Paddy Power heard of his plight and supplied the financial support necessary to take his manager, physiotherapist and trainer to the Games as well.

"It's fantastic that they came on board when they did," says Kwame, "because it means that I can concentrate on my one goal and that is to ski as fast as I possibly can."

It is this attitude that makes the Snow Leopard's story such a captivating one. He's dedicated the past six years of his life to getting to the Vancouver Olympics and in doing so will undoubtedly make global headlines as he takes on the world's finest skiers.

"As well as doing my best at the Olympics, I want to make an impact that leaves a legacy for future generations that will one day see the Ghana ski team as a serious competitor on the international stage."

It's a story that has only just begun.

 

[scroobal]

I was curious as it seem to come out of the blue as they are still struggling with their identified priority sports.

Yes, its elitism and it caters for the those who are well connected. When Ng Ser Miang's daughter was interested in sailing, it became a priority sport and they built a new complex at East Coast.

Its not only in Singapore, it happens right across the Olympics world where rich parents pick a country so that their kids get this kind of opportunities.

Here we have Singaporeans in their mid 30s getting retrenched, our young can't get affordable housing yet we are looking after some singaporean rich kid based overseas interested in the luge and curling.

Scro, I smell opportunism somewhere. Are these people still Singaporeans or are they really PRs of the host countries ?

Yet another high faluting suggestion and goal...and again for the elites! when will the pap ever learn? Looks like they are totally bereft of ideas and know zilch how to grab the attention and support of the post 65 generation..

 

[heartlander]

Yes, thats the part that I found strange. He obviously does not know his geography or what's going in the world.

Some poor speechwriter is gonna get it. Of course it's not TSL's fault for not realizing the error - you can't expect much from a pretty face.

 

[MFTao]

..for a seasoned triathlete like himself - he can't even seem to figure out that being ill only exacerbate the body unwillingness to perform? what ski f@#$ is he talking about?

 

[DrPanacea]

Probablility is a good as GCT dreaming for a football team to be in the 2010 World Cup.

Perhaps poster boy Teo found a way to make it snow in Singapore.

 

[Watchman]

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luge slider died after crashing and hitting a metal pole during a training run for the 2010 Winter Olympics competition.

He was airlifted to a Whistler hospital, where he was declared dead. He was 21.

The crash video was uploaded on the popular video sharing website, YouTube. But Google removed the uploaded clips due to a copyright claim by International Olympic Committee.

We found the following video. You can watch it , do let us know if there is any problem.

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[Brightkid]

Why cant that money be used to help the poor and elderly?

Why? If $100,000 is spent to put a S'porean into WO, that $100,000 can be used to buy food / medicine for the poor and prevent the 3-9 suicides that is happening in S'pore everyday.

VERY BAD TASTE LAH.
HE IS GOING FOR INDIVIDUAL GLORY. PHOOOEY!

He will not get any credit to his name if the money goes to helpt he poor and elderly mah. that is not his ministry right ?

So, in order to get every opportunity to boast, and get the budget to spent, and to be seen to be very active to get re-elected, he can talk all the cocks he wanted, even competing in the North Pole or in the Moon in sports (if there is one), for all he cared.

Creative thinking to lead the world with their million-dollar salary ?? Nay, too much work. anyway where got time left after counting the millions, assuming they can finish counting.