Dominica at the 2014 Winter Olympics

Dominica competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014, in its Winter Olympics debut.[4] The team consisted of two athletes in one sport, cross-country skiing.[4][5]

Dominica at the
2014 Winter Olympics
IOC codeDMA
NOCDominica Olympic Committee
Websitewww.doc.dm
in Sochi
Competitors2 in 1 sport
Flag bearer Gary di Silvestri (opening[1][2]
and closing)[3]
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)

Competitors
SportMenWomenTotal
Cross-country skiing 112
Total112

Cross-country skiing
Main article: Cross-country skiing at the 2014 Winter Olympics

According to the quota allocation released on 20 January 2014, Dominica has two athlete in qualification position.[6] The nation was represented by the husband and wife team, Angelica and Gary di Silvestri. Both visited the island nation about seven years prior and did philanthropic work on the island. For their work the Silvestris were given Dominican citizenship as a token of gratitude.

In late 2012 the International Olympic Committee approached the Dominica Olympic Committee (DOC) to see if it had any athletes to enter into the games. The DOC asked the Silvestris knowing they were skiers. The Silvestris created the Dominica Ski Federation and managed to qualify for the Games in late 2013 (Gary) and in January 2014 in her last chance (Angelica).[1] The Silvestris do not have residence in the country and took up the challenge to represent the country, both so the island could get noticed and to establish a winter sports following amongst the youth of Dominica.[7][8]

Angelica did not start her race,[9] after breaking her nose during training. Gary did not finish after starting his race because he was suffering from gastroenteritis.[10][11][12]

Had Angelica competed in her race, she would have become the oldest women to compete in a cross-country skiing race at the Winter Olympics, surpassing Norway's Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen who competed as a 41-year-old at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.[13]

Distance
Athlete Event Final
Time Deficit Rank
Gary di Silvestri Men's 15 km classical DNF
Angelica di Silvestri Women's 10 km classical DNS


References
  1. Zaccardi, Nick (23 January 2014). "Staten Island man, 46, and wife will ski for Dominica at Sochi Olympics". NBC. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  2. "Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony - Flagbearers" (PDF). olympic.org. Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  3. "Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony - Flagbearers" (PDF). The International Olympic Committee (IOC). 23 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  4. "Bend XC coach named Dominica Nordic Ski Team head coach". KTVZ. 16 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  5. Volz, Matt (31 January 2014). "Island of Dominica competes in first Winter Games". Yahoo. Big Sky, Montana: Associated Press. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  6. "Summary of Quota allocation as per 20.01.2014" (PDF). www.fis-ski.com. FIS. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  7. "Dominica's first Winter Olympians took unorthodox road to Sochi". Associated Press. Fox Sports. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  8. "Skiers To Represent Dominica In Sochi". The Gleaner. Gleaner Company. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  9. Basu, Anand (13 February 2014). "Olympics-Cross Country-Women's 10 km classic result". Reuters. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  10. Basu, Anand (14 February 2014). "Olympics-Cross Country-Men's 15 km classic result". Reuters. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  11. "UPDATE: Dominican skier fails to finish race; wife did not start". Dominica News Online. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  12. Waggoner, Jim (14 February 2014). "Winter Olympics 2014: A physical nightmare for Staten Islander Gary di Silvestri and wife in Sochi". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  13. Clarey, Christopher (6 February 2014). "Caribbean Newcomers Dip Their Toes in the Snow". New York Times. Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi, Russia. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
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