Kuwaiti speed skaters ready to take on the world

KUWAIT: Joining the local winter sports scene, the 17-member Kuwaiti speed skating team vowed to strongly compete on regional and international levels to put the country on the map of the adrenaline-inducing sport. Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating, pitting athletes against each other in a race where time and speed are of essence. The sport is held out and in-door stadiums, as well as frozen lakes and rivers. Speaking to KUNA, team manager Youssef Al-Kanderi said that team members were selected due to their raw skills, which, hopefully in time, would be sharpened to the point of perfection. He added that in order to develop their skills, several training camps in Europe will be held to bring them to a satisfactory level of performance. More on future plans, AlKanderi invited all ice skating enthusiast to join the team, especially those who have the skill to skate fast. On his part, team captain Mohammad AlMutar affirmed that the team is eager to carry the flag at major world tournaments. Speed skating requires a certain level of skills to enable athletes to compete effectively, said Al-Mutar, hoping that more individuals would join the team. Team member Suleiman Al-Saffar said that he found a connection between his motorbikes hobby and speed skating. Knowing that speed skating is taking baby steps in Kuwait, Al-Saffar indicated that the very notion was pushing him to challenge himself and others, adding that the team should start building up its repertoire via regional participation in Qatar and the UAE. —KUNA