Newcomers embrace maiden Asiad journey

Winter sports may be synonymous with snowcapped mountains and icy lakes, but the passion felt for them knows no boundaries — not even the blistering deserts of Saudi Arabia or the humid tropics of Cambodia, both of which made their Asian Winter Games debut at this year's tournament in Harbin.

After four curling matches in Harbin, the Saudi Arabian team, which consists of five male players with an average age of over 45, sits fourth among six teams. For veteran curler Hussain Hagawi, the journey to Harbin is more about learning and building a winter sports legacy from the ground up.

"The games were quite hard for us," admitted the 46-year-old. "But, it's really important. When we play with top teams like the Republic of Korea, China and Japan, we will start growing."

Despite their inexperience, the Saudis embraced the Games with enthusiasm. "The quality of the ice, the organization, the volunteers — everything is top class and professional," said Saudi team coach Alastair Fyfe. "We're really happy to be here."

A lack of curling facilities at home has not deterred the Saudi curlers. Instead, they often travel to Europe for training, and sometimes use an ice hockey rink in the capital, Riyadh.

But change is on the horizon, as Saudi Arabia is set to host the next Asian Winter Games in 2029, the first-ever edition of the tournament to be held in West Asia. With new venues under construction, interest in winter sports has been growing in recent years.