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Ashley Ongong’a, the first female cross-country skier from Africa to make it to the Olympics is hoping her breakthrough will be a source of motivation to more Africans.
16-year-old Ashley Ongong’a, the first female cross-country skier from Kenya to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympic Games is gearing up for a tough challenge as she faces off tough competition at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre on January 29.
The youngster is just days away from realising her childhood ambition and making history as the first Kenyan, or rather the first African to compete in cross-country skiing at a Winter Youth Olympic Games. At the global showpiece, she will be joined by Kenya’s France-based alpine skier Issa Laborde.
Ongong’a hopes marking this milestone comes as a strong motivation to youngsters who have big dreams like her.
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“It's a big responsibility because I know now so many Africans now know about me. I really hope that [after seeing me] many other young people can see it as an amazing opportunity to try skiing. Because I think it’s time for Africa to fully come into winter sport,” the Kenyan told Olympics.com.
Meanwhile, Ongong’a has been skiing since she was a young child and she is keen to make a mark on the global scene as she makes her debut. She recalled her first gliding experience was on roller skis and later transferred her stamina and strength onto the snow and ice.
“I was like three or four when I started to roller ski. My first coach asked my parents if I could ski, and when I tried it, it became my first love.
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“I did many other sports too, like dancing, but when I had to choose, I chose cross-country skiing,” she added.
Embracing the skis and having the opportunity to do it at an early age helped her develop and master the technique. She began competing at regional and national events as a child, and by the time she was 10, was already topping Italian age group competitions, charting a path towards her dream.
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