Haitian skier Stevenson Savart finished last in the race at the Olympic Games but managed to win the sympathy of the spectators. The athlete is 25 years old, and at these Olympics, he not only carried his country's flag, whose team consists of only two people, but also became the first representative of Haiti in cross-country skiing.
Stevenson Savart. Photo: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Stevenson Savart finished 64th, but he was met with loud applause at the finish line. Crossing the finish line, he bowed to the audience as a sign of respect. By the way, he wasn't absolutely last in the final protocol, as about a dozen skiers did not finish the distance at all for various reasons.
The athlete was born in Haiti, but at the age of three, he was adopted in France. Since then, he has lived and trained in the Vosges region, where he began skiing.
Savart himself notes that participating in the Olympics is an opportunity for him to combat stereotypes in winter sports. As a child, it was difficult for him to be the only dark-skinned skier, as the constant attention from strangers embarrassed him. But over the years, according to him, it ceased to matter, and now he simply does what he loves.
In general, Haiti's first winter Olympian was alpine skier Richardson Viano. He debuted at the last Olympics in Beijing in 2022, taking 34th place in slalom, and is competing again at the current games. Like Savart, he was born in Haiti and was later adopted.
"The goal is to show the best result and expand opportunities," Savart says about this. "Wearing this suit is a huge honor. We are trying to be symbols of our small country and instill hope in it, because it is a rather dark period there right now."
Savart only debuted at the World Cup in January 2023, and then competed at the World Championships. He was able to participate in the Olympics thanks to a scholarship from the "Olympic Solidarity" program, which supports athletes from all over the world.
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