Three Catalans to participate in Winter Olympics

For winter sports enthusiasts, the countdown to the 2018 Winter Olympics has already begun. Only three days remain until the inauguration of the big event, this year held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang. And three Catalans will be taking part, testing their mettle on the icy slopes of the Asian country. It may not be much compared to some countries, but its better than nothing, increasing the chances of a Catalan medal threefold this year.

Until now, no Catalan has ever won a medal in the Winter Olympics, but this year, participating for Spain, Queralt Castellet, Ander Mirambell, and Quim Salarich, who is making his debut, will surely give it their best shot.

The Snowboarder Castellet has been making a comeback in recent years, after injuring herself in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. In Russia, in 2014 she finished in 11th place in the half-pipe tournament.

She will be joined by the skier Quim Salarich, who will make his highly anticipated Winter Olympics debut alongside the Spanish team on February 22 in the Alpine skiing category. His participation was confirmed on Tuesday. The twenty-four-year-old called it “a dream fulfilled” via his Twitter account.

Ander Mirambell will compete in the skeleton category, where participants ride head first, lying down on a flat sled downhill at breakneck speeds. Mirambell was the first Catalan to take part in this discipline in the 2010 games.