Back from his maiden Winter Games, Arif Khan sets sight on Italy 2026

Arif Khan, India’s lone athlete at the recently-concluded Winter Olympics in Beijing, may have fallen short of his target of a top-30 result, but the 31-year-old is satisfied with his performance.

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Khan missed the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics by a whisker but made history four years later when he became the first Indian to qualify in two events at the same Games. The skier, who hails from Goiwara village in Tangmarg in north Kashmir, competed in Slalom and Giant Slalom categories of Alpine Skiing.

He recorded a creditable 45th-place finish in Giant Slalom at the National Alpine Ski Centre in Yanqing district of the Chinese capital on February 13. Two days later, he featured in the Slalom event, but failed to finish the race.

"I have no regrets. I did my best, and to me, that is what matters the most. I gave it everything I had and I left Beijing a satisfied man," he said, reflecting on his performance.

Big snow

The Giant Slalom event was marred by brutal overhead conditions and a tricky slope, resulting in a number of 'Did Not Finish' (DNF) results. The original start list had 89 participants of which Brazil's Michel Macedo and Armenia's Harutyun Harutyunyan did not compete. The first run, conducted amid heavy and persistent snowfall, saw 33 DNFs. The second run witnessed eight more DNFs as 43 of the 89 competitors fell prey to the treacherous Ice River course that had a starting elevation of 1,925 metres and a vertical drop of 424 metres.

Khan, who had six-time Olympian Shiva Keshavan in his corner, was advised by the experienced luge exponent to focus on finishing the race instead of going full throttle.

"We decided on that strategy almost at the last moment, and it was Shiva who suggested I focus on finishing the race. He told me that 1.4 billion people from India are watching, so let's give them something to cheer for. That's when we decided to curb my speed a bit and tread carefully on that difficult slope," Khan said.

"It was a tough course. What made it difficult was consistent snowfall. The visibility was very poor. All we could see was the gates; the track was just not visible. It was very easy to veer off track. The initial part of the track had a very sharp gradient that became very slippery because of fresh snow. All I thought was to finish the race at any cost. After struggling all these years to reach the Olympics, it would have been heartbreaking to have a DNF against my name," he explained.

Race day brought about its own mixed feelings for Khan as the memories of his years of struggle came rushing back. While he had almost two weeks to acclimatise in the Games Village and the competition venue, nothing prepared him for the emotional tide that hit him as he walked towards the starting gates.

At the gate

"It was a unique feeling. I began skiing at the age of four. I have been wearing the India jersey for over a decade now, but this time, with the Indian flag on my chest and a lot of Chinese nationals cheering for me, it was a surreal experience. I was also aware of the larger statement I was unwittingly making."

"Walking towards the entry gate, I was fighting a lot of emotions. One part of me was thinking of the race and the game plan, while another part thought of my family and the sacrifices they’ve made for me, the turmoil in my state, the struggle to make a mark. I had to hold back tears somehow. It is hard to put words to those feelings," Khan recalled.

The Slalom event, held on February 16, turned out to be a disappointment for Khan as he could not finish the race.

“It is a very technical discipline,” he said. “If you make even a slight error, it is almost impossible to recover. I won’t blame the track or the weather for my non-performance in Slalom; it was an error on my part. The first half of my race was going well, but thereafter I lost the grip and went off track. These things happen.”

Having already set his sights on the 2026 Olympics, to be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, Khan will allow himself some rest before hitting the slopes of Apharwat Peak in Gulmarg. Plans are also afoot to participate in a bunch of races in Switzerland in summer, before heading to the Austria Racing Camps in Innsbruck, in July-August.

"The training never stops. My preparations for Italy 2026 began the moment my campaign ended in Beijing. I have now got a taste of the Olympics, and I'd like to have another crack at it."

As for cheat days, Khan, who is fond of local bakery goodies and the traditional wazwan, will allow himself "a day or two" of indulgence before returning to his strict diet.

"My family has been waiting for me for a while. I won't say no to a wazwan with them, but after that, it will be back to the grind. Inshallah, you'll see me in Italy too," Arif said. "Everyone knows the situation in Kashmir. I hope I have been able to bring about a small but positive change in perception. I also hope that some work is done to develop winter sports infrastructure in the Himalayan states so that more people are able to pursue it professionally.”

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