Teen talent targets Winter Olympics
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 23: Three young alpine skiers training under double Winter Olympian Mohammad Arif Khan have set their sights on putting India on the global winter sports map, as the Khelo India Winter Games spotlight emerging talent in Gulmarg.
Syed Zain, Faizan Ahmad Lone from Kashmir and Sahil Thakur from Himachal Pradesh, considered among the country’s brightest prospects in Alpine skiing, recently returned from an advanced training programme in Italy’s Sudtirol, where they were exposed to European techniques and competitive standards.
“For us, this is not just about competing in national events. We want to compete with the best in the world,” Sahil said on the sidelines of the Games.
Nineteen-year-old Sahil, a native of Manali, comes from a family deeply rooted in skiing.
A national gold and silver medallist, he represented India at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea.
Reflecting on his training in Italy, he said, “When I returned, I could feel the difference. The coaching and attention to technique changed how I see the mountain.”
He has set his target on qualifying for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.
Sixteen-year-old Syed Zain from Humhama on Srinagar’s outskirts said competing internationally once seemed distant.
“Skiing is seen as a European sport, but Olympians like Arif Khan showed us that it can belong to India too,” he said.
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