热带国家从来没有在冬奥会上夺得过奖牌。但这并没有阻止越来越多的国家争取打破这个宿命。在即将开幕的北京冬奥会中，就有一些这样的热带国家是“为金牌而来”。我们来探寻一下他们，包括来自沙特阿拉伯的高山滑雪选手、如90年代电影《冰上轻驰》一样的牙买加雪车队，还有泰国的越野滑雪选手。
These snowless tropical nations want to ‘fight for gold’
Tropical nations have never won a medal at the Winter Olympics.
热带国家从来没有在冬奥会上夺得过奖牌。
But this has not stopped more and more countries from striving to break this fate.
但这并没有阻止越来越多的国家争取打破这个宿命。
At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, some of these countries are “coming for gold”. Let’s check them out, including alpine skiers from Saudi Arabia, Jamaican bobsleigh teams like the ’90s movie Cool Runnings, and cross-country skiers from Thailand.
在北京举行的2022年冬季奥运会，就有其中一些这样的国家是“为金牌而来”。我们来探寻一下他们，包括来自沙特阿拉伯的高山滑雪选手、如90年代电影《冰上轻驰》（Cool Runnings）一样的牙买加雪车（有舵雪橇）队，还有泰国的越野滑雪选手。
From Arabian Dunes to Ice Slopes
从阿拉伯沙丘到冰坡
It’s no surprise if you don’t immediately associate the icy Winter Olympics with the sweltering heat of Saudi Arabia, but in the desert kingdom, there’s an athlete lining up for the event.
如果你没有马上将冰天雪地的冬季奥运会和闷热的沙特阿拉伯联想到一起，这不足为奇，但是在这个沙漠王国当中，有一名运动员正准备参加这场盛事。
Fayik Abdi, 24, is Saudi Arabia’s sole representative at the Winter Olympics and will compete in alpine skiing.
24岁的法伊克·阿卜迪（Fayik Abdi）是沙特阿拉伯在冬奥会上的唯一代表，将出战高山滑雪项目。
“I know representing Saudi Arabia at the Winter Olympics is a bit of a rarity for a lot of people, but it’s a huge honour to make history not just for my country, but for the entire Gulf region,” Abdi said.
“我知道代表沙特阿拉伯参加冬奥会，对于很多人来说有点稀奇，但这是一个莫大的荣誉，不仅是为我的国家，也是为整个海湾地区创造了历史，”阿卜迪说。
The Winter Olympics, which opened in the Chinese capital on February 4, will be the first participation in Saudi Arabia’s history. In this part of Saudi Arabia, snow falling from the sky is a rarity, enough to make news all over the world.
本届冬奥会2月4日在中国的首都开幕，这将是沙特阿拉伯历史上首次参赛。在沙特这个地方，雪从天降是一件稀奇事，足以成为全世界的新闻。
So, how did Abdi get here?
所以，阿卜迪是怎么来到这里的？
His Olympic dream had an unusual start.
他的奥林匹克梦有一个不寻常的开端。
Abdi initially responded to an ad, like more than 100 other applicants. It was handed out by the newly established Saudi Arabian Winter Sports Federation, looking for potential candidates to join the Olympic team. Abdi learned to ski at the age of four, and when he was in college in the United States, he took to the slopes whenever he had time.
阿卜迪一开始不过就是和其他100多名申请者一样，回复了一个广告。那是当时刚刚成立不久的沙特阿拉伯冬季运动联合会（Saudi Arabian Winter Sports Federation）发放的，寻找有潜力的人加入奥运队。阿卜迪在四岁时就学滑雪了，而且在美国上大学的时候，是一有时间就走上雪道。
And his journey, as a trend representative of more and more “snowless” countries participating in the Winter Olympics, is a perfect fit.
而他的历程，作为越来越多“无雪”国家参加冬奥会的潮流代表，是再合适不过。
When the first Winter Olympics were held in 1924, only 14 European countries and the United States and Canada participated. By the last Winter Olympics hosted by Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018, a record 92 countries had participated.
第一届冬奥会在1924年举办的时候，只有14个欧洲国家以及美加参加，而到上一届2018年韩国平昌主办的冬奥会，已经有创纪录的92个国家参加。
In Beijing, 91 countries and regions will participate, including first-time participants Saudi Arabia and Haiti, as well as other countries and regions known for their warm weather, such as Brazil, Timor-Leste and Ghana.
在北京，将有91个国家及地区参与，包括首次参赛的沙特阿拉伯和海地，还有其他一些众所周知是天气暖和的国家和地区，比如巴西、东帝汶和加纳等。
And, of course, Jamaica.
当然，还有牙买加。
Jamaica Snow Team
牙买加雪车队
When it comes to a “layout country participating in the Winter Olympics”, you often think of Jamaica, a Caribbean island country, mainly because Hollywood had a movie “Cool Runnings” in 1993. general mobilization”).
当说到一个“参加冬奥会的门外汉国家”时，你常常会想到加勒比海岛国牙买加，那主要是因为好莱坞在1993年有一部电影《冰上轻驰》（Cool Runnings，另译《癫疯总动员》）。
The film is based on the Jamaican four-person snow team at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics in Canada. The film not only entertained audiences all over the world, but also inspired other “snowless countries” to try it out.
电影取材自1988年加拿大卡加利冬奥会上的牙买加四人雪车队。电影不仅是娱乐了世界各地的观众，还启发了其他“无雪国家”想去闯一下。
Although Jamaica has participated in the two-person snowmobile event in several Winter Olympics since then, the Beijing Winter Olympics will be the first time the country has participated in the men’s four-person snowmobile event since the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998.
虽然牙买加在此后还参加了几届冬奥会的二人雪车项目，但是北京冬奥将是自1998年长野冬奥会之后，这个国家首次出战男子四人雪车项目。
In Beijing, the Caribbean island nation will also have a men’s duo sled team, while Jazmine Fenlator-Victoria will compete in the women’s sled.
在北京，这个加勒比海岛国还会有一支男子二人雪车队，而贾斯敏·芬莱特-维多利亚（Jazmine Fenlator-Victoria）将会参加女子单人雪车项目。
This four-person snowmobile team made headlines because of some of their training methods, which seemed to be from the plot of “Light Ride on Ice”.
这支四人雪车队伍登上头条，还因为他们的一些训练方法，仿佛就是出自《冰上轻驰》中的情节。
In 2020, two members of the team, Shanwayne Stephens and Nimroy Turgott, were seen at an industrial estate in the British city of Peterborough A Mini Cooper sedan in the district (at the time gyms in the UK were closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown).
2020年，队中的两名成员山维恩·斯蒂芬斯（Shanwayne Stephens）和尼姆罗伊·图尔戈特（Nimroy Turgott）被人看见，在英国城市彼得伯勒（Peterborough）的一处工业区推一辆Mini Cooper轿车（当时英国的健身房因为新冠疫情封锁令而关闭）。
“I loved that movie as a kid, it taught me never to give up on my dreams,” Stephens said.
“我小时候就喜欢那部电影，它教会了我永远不要放弃梦想，”斯蒂芬斯说。
That movie inspired more than just Jamaica. Ride on Ice was even used as a fundraising campaign by a Brazilian snow team that wanted to compete in the 1998 Winter Olympics.
那部电影启发的不仅仅是牙买回。《冰上轻驰》甚至被一支想要参加1998年冬奥会的巴西雪车队用来做筹资时的宣传。
However, the history of snow-free countries participating in the Winter Olympics is actually much longer. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) noted that Mexico was the first warm-climate country to participate in the Winter Olympics, having competed as early as 1928.
但是，无雪的国家参加冬奥会的历史其实还要更久远得多。国际奥委会（IOC）指出，墨西哥是第一个参加冬奥会的暖气候国家，早在1928年就曾参赛。
Tropical nations didn’t get involved until 1972, when the Philippines sent two men to alpine skiing.
而热带国家则直到1972年才参与进来，当时菲律宾派出两名男子选手出战高山滑雪项目。
The growing interest in the Winter Olympics from non-traditional participating nations also provides better opportunities for athletes.
非传统的参赛国对冬奥会越来越有兴趣，也给运动员提供了更好的机会。
For example, Haiti, the Caribbean country that will compete for the first time at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, will feature alpine skier Richardson Viano as the only competitor. Although born in Haiti, he was adopted by a French family at the age of three and has lived in Europe ever since. After failing to be selected for the French Olympic team at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Viano received an invitation from the Haitian Sports Authority to represent Haiti.
比如海地，这个加勒比海国家将在北京首次参加冬奥会，唯一的参赛者就是高山滑雪选手理查德森·维亚诺（Richardson Viano）。虽然是在海地出生，但他在三岁时就被一个法国家庭收养，之后一直生活在欧洲。在2018年平昌冬奥会未能入选法国奥运队之后，维亚诺收到了来自海地体育管理当局的邀请，代表海地参赛。
In an interview with Haiti Libre, a Haitian news site, the skier said the invitation gave him a second chance in his sporting career.
在接受海地新闻网站“自由海地”（Haiti Libre）采访时，这名滑雪选手说，那一次邀请给了他运动生涯的第二次机会。
“Without this call, I would have definitely stopped skiing and building,” Viano said.
“没有这次召唤，我肯定就已经不再滑雪，去做建筑了，”维亚诺说。
Cross-country skiers representing Thailand
代表泰国参赛的越野滑雪选手
Karen Chanloung will be one of four athletes to represent Thailand at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
凯伦·尚隆（Karen Chanloung）将是在北京冬奥代表泰国参赛的四名运动员之一。
Born in Italy, the 25-year-old has represented Italy at the youth level with her brother Mark. Until 2016, their father’s homeland came knocking on their door.
25岁的她出生于意大利，在青年级别赛事中曾与她的哥哥马克（Mark）一起代表意大利。直到2016年，他们父亲的祖国来敲响他们的门。
Both siblings participated in the cross-country skiing event at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Mark will also be in Beijing.
兄妹二人均参加了2018年冬奥会的越野滑雪项目，马克也会出现在北京赛场。
“We’ve always wanted to represent our father’s country since we were kids, but Thailand didn’t even have a winter sports association for many years,” explains Karen Shanlon.
“我们从小一直都想代表我们父亲的祖国，但是泰国多年来甚至都没有冬季运动协会，”凯伦·尚隆解释说。
“But representing Thailand means a lot to my brother and I. This country is a part of us and we grew up with Thai culture.”
“但是代表泰国对我和我哥哥来说意义重大。这个国家就是我们的一部分，我们是在泰国文化熏陶下长大的。”
In terms of training, athletes from snow-free countries may need to travel more for training, which brings more challenges under the restrictions of the new crown epidemic.
在训练方面，来自无雪国家的运动员可能需要更多的旅行训练，在新冠疫情的限制下，这带来了更多的挑战。
“The global pandemic certainly has an impact, but it’s a reality of everyone’s life right now,” said Saudi skier Fayq Abdi.
“全球大流行疫情当然是有影响，但这是现在每一个人生活的现实，”沙特滑雪选手法伊克·阿卜迪说。
“When we’re shortlisted for the Winter Olympics, it all becomes more comfortable.”
“当我们入围冬奥会的时候，这一切就会变得更加惬意。”
While more and more landless countries are participating in the Winter Olympics, many still fail to make a significant impact (in terms of medal tally).
虽然越来越多无地的国家都参加冬奥会，但是很多仍然未能产生重大的影响力（在奖牌榜方面）。
According to the International Olympic Committee, no tropical country has ever won a single medal at the event.
根据国际奥委会的数据，从未有热带国家在这项赛事中夺得过任何一枚奖牌。
Australia is the only exception to the country that is known for its hot weather but can achieve good results in the Winter Olympics, winning 15 medals in the 19th Winter Olympics.
要说以炎热天气著称却又能在冬奥取得好成绩的国家，澳大利亚是唯一的例外，在19届冬奥会中夺得过15枚奖牌。
But because the IOC adopts the Kӧppen climate classification system, Australia is classified as a dry country, not a tropical country.
但是由于国际奥委会采取的是柯本气候分类法（Kӧppen climate classification system），澳大利亚被列为干旱国家，而不是热带国家。
That hurdle, though, hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of athletes like Faik Abdi and Karen Chanlon.
不过，这个障碍并没有影响像法伊克·阿卜迪和凯伦·尚隆这些运动员的热情。
“It’s important that countries are able to have their flags on an event as important as the Olympics,” Chanlon said.
“重要的是，各国能够让它们的旗帜出现在像奥运会这样重要的赛事上，”尚隆表示。
“As athletes, there is nothing bigger than this event. We want to give our best.”
“作为运动员，没有比这项赛事更重大的了。我们想要竭尽全力。”
Abdi agrees with this. His Olympic team is part of Saudi Arabia’s growing winter sports culture, which includes building the world’s fourth-largest indoor ski resort.
阿卜迪也同意这一点。他的奥运队是沙特阿拉伯发展冬季体育文化的一部分，包括要建成世界第四大室内滑雪场。
“I hope I can help inspire people,” Abdi said, because in the future he hopes Saudi Arabia and others in the Gulf “can be involved in winter sports, even into the Winter Olympics”.
“我希望我能够帮助启发人们，”阿卜迪说，因为在未来，他希望沙特阿拉伯和海湾地区的其他人“能够参与冬季运动，甚至进入冬奥会”。
