When she turned into getting her ft wet in the sport of skiing Abigail Vieira could always consider competing at the Winter Olympic Games. Ten years later, the TT teenager is guaranteed a gap at each the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics after her robust performances in alpine skiing recently.
Abigail, now sixteen, in conjunction with her 18-year-vintage sister Ria, become born to TT couple Richard and Alison Vieira. The circle of relatives lives simply outdoor Boston in the north-east vicinity of the USA, and Abigail attends a boarding faculty named Holderness School in New Hampshire, only north of Boston. On Saturday, Abigail competed at the Devo Alpine Finals.
The youngster, who has been racing due to the fact she becomes six years antique, stated competing on the Olympics is now on her doorstep, and the thought of fighting at such an event has given her a further push to qualify. “I am simply looking ahead to it,” Abigail said.
“I usually bear in mind when I become younger I could always consider myself as going to the Olympics (however) I would never think that it might virtually become a possibility, however now it just makes you want to paintings harder to get there.”
A skier with TT roots isn’t a regular prevalence, and Abigail is aware of a few humans may be curious to find out about her adventure.
Abigail, who admires American skier Lindsey Vonn in the sport, said, “I wager when humans see my call at the begin listing they are probably a bit burdened on how someone from the Caribbean is skiing, but I truly much like to focus on what I am doing once I am racing, and if humans have questions I’ll manifestly communicate about TT and how I got into skiing and what it approach me to represent TT. But except that, for the duration of race day or education day, I am simply targeted on getting better and getting prepared for the senior Olympics.”
Skiing is predominantly an individual sport. However, Abigail stated training among her friends is one in every of her maximum enjoyable times in the game. In alpine skiing, competition should war steep hills and injuries are commonplace.
Earlier this 12 months, Vonn announced her retirement from the sport announcing her body is now “broken beyond repair” because of accidents sustained at some stage in crashes. On her accidents, Abigail said, “Not principal (accidents I have had), however, I do consider one time I was trying to make up for a terrible first run, so I went outstanding difficult (the subsequent time), and I fell, and I fractured my finger.”
Abigail is heaps of miles far from TT. However, the Vieira family remains connected to TT as Richard stated they make frequent journeys domestic as Abigail’s grandparents live in Trinidad. Richard, who moved to the United States to further his research in 1993, grew up in Diego Martin.
Richard said, “We try to get there (Trinidad) each year, on occasion two times a yr. My parents are there, and my spouse is likewise from Trinidad…Trinidad is a massive a part of her (Abigail’s) lifestyles and has usually been a big a part of her lifestyles from while she becomes born to now. She has spent a variety of time in Trinidad.” Richard told the family chefs local dishes so Abigail and her sister can live connected to TT. Asked what’s her preferred meals, Abigail stated, “Roti fingers down.”
