YANQING, China. — Aside from Asa Miller, who is chasing the country’s first Winter Olympics medal here, there are seven more countries from Southeast Asia, a fully tropical region on this side of the planet, raring to crack the medal column.
Timor Leste, Thailand, and Malaysia are also represented in the Games here, with most of their athletes competing alongside Miller in alpine skiing.
Miller is on his second consecutive Games, but someone else from the region has campaigned in three straight editions.
Yohan Goutt Goncalves, a French-East Timorese, has been chasing his Olympic dream since 2014 in Sochi and looks at Sunday’s men’s giant slalom with a potential shot at a podium finish like the Portland-based Miller.
Thailand has the most qualifiers with four–Zanon Nicola (men’s alpine skiing) Jaiman Mida Fah (women’s alpine skiing), Mark Chanloung (cross country skiing) and his sister Karen (cross country skiing).
Alpine skiers Jeffrey Webb and Aruwin Salehhudin are also going after Malaysia’s first-ever Winter Games medals.
With Southeast Asian blood in their veins, Goncalves and Miller have bonded together.
“We trained together and I think he (Miller) is a very good skier,” Goncalves said. “I believe he could be faster than me but let’s see on the race day.”
The 27-year-old Goncalves was 43rd in slalom in Sochi but didn’t finish in Pyeongchang.
“We are still very far from a medal but what is important is that Timor Leste is represented here,” he said.
The bond extends to the Malaysians.
“We really support each other … with the Malaysian skiers, too,” he said. “We train, we give advice to each other and stay together.”
Nicola is also competing in men’s giant slalom and slalom events, hoping to bounce back from a forgettable performance in Pyeongchang.