Laurence Thoms

Laurence Thoms
Personal information
Birth name Laurence Thoms
Nationality Fijian
Born (1980-03-26) March 26, 1980
Suva, Dominion of Fiji
Sport
Country Fiji
Sport Alpine skiing

Laurence Thoms (born March 26, 1980) is a Fijian alpine skier who was born in Suva.[1] He represented Fiji at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and attracted media attention as a competitor from a tropical nation at the Winter Olympics.[2]

Thoms was Fiji's flag-bearer during the Opening Ceremony, being his country's only representative,[3] and was the first Pacific Islander to qualify for the Winter Games in his own right (rather than through the wild cards process).[4][5][6] He competed in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events.[7] He failed to complete the Slalom,[8][9] but completed the Giant Slalom and finished fifty-fifth with a time of 2:41.98.[10] Spectators reportedly cheered and encouraged him, and "went crazy when he crossed the finish line".[11]

One newspaper described Thoms' participation as exemplifying "the true spirit of the Games".[12]

Before taking part in the Olympics, Thoms had worked as a ski instructor in New Zealand.[13] His participation in the Olympics was funded by a retired Swiss businessman living in Fiji, who had founded the Fiji Alpine Ski Association.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Laurence Thoms", L'Equipe
  2. ↑ "Beach boy takes to the slopes", BBC, February 15, 2002
  3. ↑ "Eleven on their own in Games", Associated Press, February 13, 2002
  4. ↑ "Beach boy takes to the slopes", BBC, February 15, 2002
  5. ↑ "Flames and Flickers: Fiji team starts at a party", ESPN, February 20, 2002
  6. ↑ "Fiji's lone 2002 Olympian lured by a newspaper ad", Deseret News
  7. ↑ "Flames and Flickers: Fiji team starts at a party", ESPN, February 20, 2002
  8. ↑ "Alping Skiing results - Men's Slalom", CNN
  9. ↑ "Slaw Says: Olympics produce year's new heroes", Ball State Daily, February 25, 2002
  10. ↑ "Results -- Thursday, Feb 21", ESPN
  11. ↑ "Games run into scandal at end", Western Courier, February 22, 2002
  12. ↑ "Games run into scandal at end", Western Courier, February 22, 2002
  13. ↑ "In Praise of the Lone Olympians", Time, February 21, 2002
  14. ↑ "Eleven on their own in Games", Associated Press, February 13, 2002
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