Skiing: Daisi Daniels secures top 30 position at Youth Olympics

Local skiing champion Daisi Daniels finished in the top 30 in the slalom race at the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Sarajevo on Monday (11 February).

The former Beech House pupil, 16, is one of 27 athletes aged between 15 and 18 selected for Team GB by the British Olympic Association.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/125793/skiing-daisi-daniels-selected-for-youth-olympics

Daisi secured a top 30 position on Monday, placing 25th in the slalom and 34th in Wednesday’s (13 February) giant slalom.

Speaking about the slalom, Daisi said: “Run 1 was really good. I was quite excited because I was bib 43 and that’s one of the earliest bibs I’ve had this season so far, so I was really looking forward to it. I was really happy with my skiing at the top, but I made a mistake going onto the last kind of pitch, but I carried on even though I got a little bit caught.

“I was going okay even though I had a delay – it wasn’t the line that I’d hoped for. I felt like I wasn’t skiing like me. 

“Recently it’s been harder for me to do well in a race compared to training, so it’s more me trying to get my training mindset into a race. When you’re in your full suit, bib and you know that you’ve got to go at a certain time and against the clock, there’s pressure. But I’m working on it and I’m hoping that in the next races I do, I’ll get better and better.  

“I was sat in 24th after the first run, so I had quite a clean course to contest. It was snowing a lot and the start kept getting held, but we kept pushing through it. I thought all the girls that were out there today really fought for it – it was a rough day, but I suppose that’s part of the sport.” 

Throughout winter, Daisi, of Whitworth, has been training in Vail, Colorado, with Colorado’s Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, under coach Andrew Keeting, where she will return to continue the season.

Daisi continued, addressing Wednesday’s giant slalom: “It started off pretty decent. After inspecting the course, I thought it looked quite straight. It didn’t quite go as I had planned it, but you always learn something. I learned to stick to what I know, don’t try new things in races and to do what your coach tells you. 

“It’s great racing against the top girls in the sport. I hadn’t done as well as I’d hoped to, so I was really fired up for the second run. I didn’t get off to a good start, but I pushed and pushed, and it only made me more motivated as I progressed down the mountain. 

“The other coaches gave me compliments on the way I skied towards the bottom of the slope, so that gave me confidence. I wasn’t that happy with my results, but I managed to move up ten or so places – it's definitely been a learning curve.”

Speaking about the experience of participating as part of Team GB at the Youth Olympics, Daisi continued: “It’s been an amazing experience – it's been amazing to learn about other sports. I'm used to my sport and don’t normally get the chance to meet other people from winter sports, so it’s been nice to bond and learn about all the other sports here. 

“It’s been great to be able to watch, support your teammates in action. I tried to be a friendly face around here and get to know as many people as possible. 

“It’s nice in the future to know that you’re able to contact anyone you’ve met and teach them your sport or theirs to me.  

“It’s amazing being able to mix with all the other countries as well – especially when swapping pin badges.  

“Without a smaller version (of the Olympics), you’d be a bit overwhelmed if you ever went to a Winter Olympics, especially if you haven’t had a chance to bond with anyone in a team, not only from your sport but from others too.”

Daisi will continue the season with Club Vail before returning to Itchen Sixth Form College in South Hampton, where she has a scholarship.

Sarajevo 2019 is the 14th edition of the EYOF and the first time it will be hosted in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Approximately 1,500 athletes from 50 European countries will take part in what is Europe’s largest multi-sport event.