Lebanese athlete Kiana Sakkal will kick off the Lebanese delegation's competitions at the 4th Winter Youth Olympic Games, currently taking place in Gangwon, South Korea, on Tuesday, January 23, in the alpine skiing (slalom) event. In this context, coach Selim Kiroz revealed that all athletes have been engaged in an intensive daily training program since their arrival in South Korea, indicating that they are fully prepared for the competitions. He noted that Sakkal, born in 2006, is ready for this mission, marking her first participation in an Olympic event with high-level skills and experiences, and she is relying on good results achieved in various international competitions, including those in France and Italy.
Coach Kiroz reminded that Sakkal is participating in the games alongside her teammates through classification and qualification based on points, which is happening for the first time in the history of the sport in Lebanon, serving as a significant and positive indication. He added that Sakkal is considered one of the best athletes in her age group (14-16 years) in Lebanon, with several achievements to her name.
Meanwhile, head of the delegation Raymond Sucker is overseeing all administrative and logistical details related to the delegation and is closely following the training sessions. He maintains daily communication with Lebanese Olympic Committee President Dr. Pierre Jalakh, keeping him informed of all developments and challenges, expressing his deep appreciation for the attention and facilitation provided for an ideal participation. He also thanked all Olympic Committee members for their support and encouragement.
Sucker highlighted the close follow-up from the President of the Lebanese Ski and Biathlon Federation, Freddy Kiroz, regarding his interest and necessary guidance. Additionally, Sucker is holding important protocol meetings with several officials from the International Olympic Committee and members of the organizing committee of the games to gain insights into managing high-level tournaments and winter events, praising the organizational atmosphere of the 4th Winter Youth Olympic Games.
