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One-Man Turkish Team Enjoying the Games (February 16)
There is only one athlete on Turkey's Olympic team this year--Alpine skier Arif Alaftargil. Turkey is said to be home to lots of people who like Japan, and Alaftargil is no exception. "I was really looking forward to coming to Japan. I'm so excited now--it's like a dream come true!"The 24-year-old skier is very happy to be at his first Olympic Games ever. He's from Erzurum, a city in eastern Turkey surrounded by high mountains. Alaftargil is proud to be representing his homeland: "Coming to the Olympics is meaningful not just for me, but also for my hometown, Erzurum, and all of Turkey."
Alaftargil entered the Olympic Village in Nagano City on February 8. At the ceremony held to welcome him, students from Seibu Middle School, also in Nagano, greeted him by singing Turkey's national anthem. Seibu is paired with Turkey in the One School, One Country Program, so students there are studying the nation and cheering for Alaftargil in his events. "Japan and Turkey are far away from each other, but I felt very happy to be greeted so warmly," says the skier.
Now that he's finally in Japan, Alaftargil says, "I don't know where to begin. I want to see everything!" He was pleased to be able to see the sumo wrestlers who participated in the Opening Ceremony on February 7. He is also enjoying life in the Olympic Village, where about 2,000 athletes, coaches, and officials are staying. "I'm making friends with competitors from all sorts of countries here." (Shinano Mainichi Shimbun)