- Title: Fund Olympic dreams of small nation, says Irish skier
- Date: 17th February 2022
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 17, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE UNITED NATIONS WOMAN CRYING OLGA KOVALENKO AND DMYTRO KOVALENKO (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMONSTRATOR, OLGA KOVALENKO, SAYING: "Who believes Putin? You can't believe Putin. You can't trust him. That's why we're here. We want the entire worl
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2022 08:17
- Keywords: Ireland Thomas Maloney Westgaard cross country skiing
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Ireland
- Topics: Europe,Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA005FZ79LJ3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Few were surprised when Finland's Iivo Niskanen won the 15 km classic race at the Beijing Olympics, but those who looked beyond the podium may have been shocked to see an Irish cross-country skier in 14th place.
Thomas Maloney Westgaard may have been born in the same country as bronze medalist Johannes Klaebo of Norway, but he skis in the Irish green and even briefly held the lead in the race eventually won by Niskanen, a sign of the progress he has made since his Olympic debut in 2018.
In the end, he wound up behind a variety of athletes from more traditional nations like Norway, Finland, the Russian Olympic Committee, France and Sweden, but his top 15 finish was a victory for the smaller countries who are often a footnote in cross-country skiing.
"I haven't won any Olympic gold, but the 14th place nearly, it feels like a medal for me," he told Reuters as he prepared for the iconic 50km race that will bring the men's cross-country programme at the Games to an end on Saturday (February 19).
Like many Winter Olympic athletes, Westgaard has to fight for the resources to dedicate himself to his sport.
"Winter sports is really not prioritised in Ireland so it's really hard regarding funding, that kind of stuff, especially when you compare us with the bigger nations so, (the fact) that Ireland was the sixth best nation on the 15km, behind nations that have taken Olympic medals in cross-country skiing during these Olympics, it is fantastic," he said.
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