Indescribable feelings, amazing games: Skiing siblings from Israel make Olympic
debut in Beijing 2022

For Barnabas and Noa Szollos, a pair of siblings and the only two alpine skiing athletes representing Israel at 2022 Winter Olympics, the steep ski slope in Beijing marks an important step in their athletic career. This is their first time in Beijing, as well as their Olympic debut.

“[The Beijing Winter Olympics] is an unexpected surprise. We’ve been warmly welcomed here, and we are really happy and grateful,” 19-year-old Noa, who previously participated in three competitions, women giant slalom, women’s slalom and the Super-G, told People’s Daily Online.

Echoing his sister, 23-year-old Barnabas, who won 6th place in the men's combined race on Thursday, beating Israel's previous record in this event, noted that the experience of competing in Beijing is indescribable and amazing.

“The ski slopes here are amazing, and the Super-G course is also deep and good. [All the facilities] are just the things you really want,” he added. 

Unforgettable Memories

For the siblings, their lives in the Olympic village and their experiences hitting the ski slopes are filled with surprises.

Beijing’s pandemic control measures have put the siblings’ minds at ease. Noa is amazed to see how a big event like the Winter Olympics is so well-organized despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have disinfection stations everywhere, andexcept for wearing masks and daily COVID-19 tests, we really don’t feel the weight of the pandemic, [which] is under control extremely well here. It has made the games much smoother than I thought,” she said

“With all those regulations, you don’t feel like you are under some kind of lockdown. You feel free and can do anything you want here, which is really impressive,” she added.

For the young pair, exchanging pins with Chinese volunteers and athletes from other nations is also a fun appetizer before each competition, an activity that has helped them meet many new faces.

“We’ve met lots of people, swapping pins with everyone, so we get to chat with athletes from many nations. They are very friendly and it is a lot of fun,” said Barnabas.

“We are greeted everywhere we go. It feels like a huge family here, and the feeling is indescribable, it is really great to be here,” said Noa.

Aside from the safety measures against COVID-19 and the friendly international companions, what has interested the two young athletes the most is the grand opening ceremony, which brought them unforgettable memories and tremendous joy.

“The Opening ceremony was absolutely amazing. I was at the Youth Olympics two years ago but that just cannot compare to this. It was bigger than it looks on TV. Sitting there, seeing it live and being in the middle of the show is something I will never forget,” said Noa.

Family Business

Alpine skiing is a fast-paced event with numerous risks. The dangers are such that the athletes are usually given three opportunities to take practice runs before a race, a condition that is not available for other events. However,for the Szollos family, love for the slopes seems to be in the genes..

Peter Szollos, father of Barnabas and Noa, is a professional skier and currently the siblings’ coach, while their elder brother, Benjamin Szollos, is a renowned alpine ski racer.

“Our father is also a skier, so we didn’t have much choice. We had to ski and nobody asked us if we wanted to do it or not. We just did it for so long that we started to like it, while competing with my elder brother who is faster than me gives me the drive to become better,” said Barnabas.

“It sounds like we were kind of forced into skiing but the truth is it feels great and it is wonderful that we got the chance to start [skiing] so early. It has opened up lots of opportunities for us that I don’t think would happen otherwise,” said Noa.

Though they are competitors on the slopes, the siblings have supported each other during their time in Beijing. They shared information about slopes, and analyzed competition results together, in the hope that they can bring honor to both their family and their country.

“My current goal is to focus on each game now, and maybe in the future more on European Cup and World Cup. I hope I will secure a top position in the future,” said Noa.

For Barnabas, the goal is even grander.He hopes that his experience from Beijing 2022 will bring him gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics. .

“I have trained a lot near Cortina d’Ampezzo. [With my experience here in Beijing], my goal is to go for the next Winter Olympics,” he said.