Nepal and Pakistan

The 21st Winter Olympic Games begins in 4 days. Next on the list of our tour of small or tropical nations are some quite cold ones beginning with Nepal. Sitting at the roof of the world, Nepal sure is frosty. However, the tiny nation only made its Asian Winter Games debut in 1999 and its Winter Olympic Games debut in 2002. These games featured Jay Khadka, a cross-country skier. It turns out that a British Millionare and hiker, Richard Morley, adopted Khadka when his father, a Nepalese Policeman, died saving his life while the hiker was in peril. Morley, who goes by Dahiji in Nepal, was also a skier and many years later served as team coach for his adoptive son at the 2002 Olympic Games. While Khadka is the first official Olympian from Nepal, the nation's participation in winter sports predates the Winter Olympics as Mountaineering was a semi-official sport in the 1924 Olympics. The Gold Medal won then was won with a team consisting of several Nepalese sherpas.

Dachhiri Sherpa participated in the 2006 Winter Olympic games and will again compete in this year's 15 km Cross C0untry Ski event. Literally born at the foot of the Himalayas, Sherpa has climbed Mt. Everest several times and hopes to improve on his 94th place finish in Torino. He is joined by Shyam Kumar-Dhakal who was selected by Coach Morley for his kick-boxing skill. He has competed in France, where Morley operates his training facility, for several years prefering the Super G event in down-hill skiing.

Nepal has competed in nearly every Summer Olympic games since 1964 and normally sends boxers.

Pakistan, conversely, has a strong Summer Olympic record. The nation first competed in the 1948 Olympic Games and through the 1950s and 1960s, the Pakistani Men's Field Hockey team traded First and Second place with their rival Indian Men's Field Hockey team winning Gold in 1960 and 1968. Their Field Hockey team has medaled in the sport as late as 1992, winning Bronze in Barcelona.

Muhammad Abbas, a 23 year old, will compete in Vancouver as Pakistan's first Winter Olympic Athlete. Abbas comes from the Balistan province, home of the famed Karakorum Mountains and K2, the second tallest mountain in the world. He is competing in the Giant Slalom when competition starts on February 21. Abbas was selected among eight Pakistani skiers who toured Europe on the dime of the Pakistani Military, who has offered financing and support. Pakistan is the home of the Naltar Ski resort, not far from Abbas' hometown.

Let's hear it for Pakistan!