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Samir Azzimani has been dreaming since he was 9 years old of taking part in an international skiing competition. Twenty-five years later, the young man's ambitions came true : The French-Moroccan skier was one of the athletes who competed for the men's 15-kilometer cross-country skiing Winter Olympics race which took place on Friday, February 16th.
«We worked hard and we were really happy because we managed to accomplish our goal, which was to finish the race in 12 or 15 minutes», the athlete told Yabiladi after the race.
Azzimani who has never imangined that one day he would become an international skier added :
«I started skiing in a summer camp when I was 6 years old. It was a mere coincidence. I was there taking part in a program dedicated to underprivileged children. And since I couldn't go home with my parents during the summer, I was sent to attend skiing classes. That is how and where I learned to ski».
In 1992, Albertville (Savoie) hosted the Olympic Winter Games. The 9-year-old Samir participated to the games. Very proud, he watched the Moroccan team parade during the opening ceremony. At the time, Samir Azzimani has not been granted yet the French citizenship. «I was born Moroccan in France. I was granted the French citizenship at the age of 13», he said. Lacking the means to compete and train Samir stayed away for 10 years.
Once he started earning money, Azzimani went on skiing trips with the University of Nanterre's club, coaching other young skiers. His passion for skiing was thouroughly nurtured because of that.
Starting a career
The Royal Moroccan Ski Federation reached to the athlete, asking him to join the national team. Professionally qualified to practice internationally the game and backed up by his experience in the field with the help of Club de France, Azzimani participated in his first competition in Orres. «It was one of the most difficult circuits I competed in».
In 2006, a few weeks before the Torino Olympics, an injury prevented him from realizing his Olympic dream. However, two years later, in 2008, he got back on track.
A few years later, he was seduced by another path : «I did not want to be a cross-country skier. For me, this sport was less interesting and boring. However, It was a starting point for me, and I liked it. I realized that cross-country skiing helped me in Alpine skiing. I went back to cross-country skiing without really thinking about it».
Between October and November 2013, Azzimani came to Morocco to train. He travelled all over the country. «1,700 kilometers from Oujda to Laayoune. It was a chance for me to recall my childhood memories».
«As a child, I travelled to Morocco frequently, and I stayed there for at least two or three months a year, in the region of Berkane. We were in a small village with locals who did not speak a word of French.»
Back to France after his roller-coaster trip, the athlete believed that he was not qualified enough to compete at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. «I hung up the skis and devoted myself to my training as a ski instructor and sport manager.»
But what happened later was really surprising : in 2018, on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, he became the first Olympic alpine skier to qualify for cross-country skiing. An achievement for all those who think that skiing will just remain a childhood dream.
