D Tuesday, February 9, 2010 News one good thing is that, in Ethiopia, were at 2,700m, so that helps to give you better endurance, he added. Teklemariam found his unlikely calling after spending time as a child in a snow-bound New York state, and was spurred to compete for glory when he saw Kenyans skiing in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He made it to the Turin Olympics four years ago, meaning Ethiopia was represented at a Winter Olympics for the first time. Teklemariam came 84th out of about 100 skiers but hopes to improve at the upcoming Vancouver games. If Im closer to the winner than I was at the last Olympics then Ill be very happy, said the ski instructor. But he also wants to be a little less lonely as he rolls down the streets. I dont want to be the first and the last, he added. For me, the greatest thing in the world would be that I dont qualify for the next Olympics because theres another Ethiopian whos faster than me. Vancouver here I come: Ethiopian skier Robel Teklemariam powers down a deserted street in Addis Ababa as he prepares for the Winter Olympics, which open this week Picture: Reuters Roll on the Winter Olympics IN THE run-up to the Winter Olym- pics, this skier is playing a leading roll well, he has to, you dont see much snow in Addis Ababa? Robel Teklemariam is the Ethiopian skiing team, its National Skiing Fed- eration and its only hope. Unfazed by temperatures in the mid-twenties, the 35-year-old regu- larly pulls on shorts, sunglasses and special roller-skis before setting off down a road free of the usual hazards of cars and donkeys. I found this street that had just the right elevation and not too much traf- fic, said the cross-country racer. Roller skiing this close to the Oly- mpics is not the ideal thing. Obviously its much better to be on snow. The By Ross McGuinness Shining light: Mr Teklem- ariam needs his shades Faster, higher, rubbisher ROBEL TEkLEMARIAM is not the first slightly odd entrant to challenge for Olympic glory... n Cross-country skier Philip Boit was the first kenyan to compete in the Winter Games, in 1998. He finished 92nd and last in the 10km race. n Senegalese skier Lamine Guye represented his country at the 1984, 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. He was the first black African skier to participate in the Olympics. n Prawat Nagvajara, an academic, is Thailands only ever winter Olympian. He took part in the cross- country skiing events in 2002 and 2006. n Eric The Eel Moussambani, of Equatorial Guinea, wowed swimming fans at the Sydney Olympics in the summer of 2000. Moussambani won his 100m freestyle heat 1m 52.72 secs because the two other swimmers false-started. His time was more than a minute outside the 100m world record but was a national record.Eric The Eel index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html