Erjon Tola

Erjon Tola (* 15 December 1986 in Tirana) is an Albanian skier. He was in Turin in 2006, the first winter athlete who ever went to Albania at the Winter Olympics at the start. Also at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, he again participated as the sole representative of his country.

Career

Tola started to ski at the age of six years. 1991 his father had emigrated to Italy and settled in Cervinia (Aosta Valley ). Two years later he brought his family to Albania. In Cervinia Tola joined the local ski club and played first youth race.

As for the 2006 Winter Olympics, the ski resort of Sestriere - not far from the family residence - was intended as a venue for the alpine competitions, the idea of ​​first-time participation of Albania emerged. Tola father made ​​contacts for Albanian FIS. Further sporting preparation, he took part in Italy in several national youth races as well as in the Italian championship. End of January 2006 he played his first FIS races.

Competitions

In the Olympic competition, he went into the three disciplines super-G, giant slalom and slalom at the start. In the super -G, he came up with more than 13 seconds behind the winner the last driver in the standings, in the giant slalom, he could be six riders behind and was 35th in the slalom, he retired in the first round of.

After his Olympic adventure, he played in December, two FIS races in Switzerland. After that he took for several years to no international race together more. Early 2009 and 2010, he drove several FIS race.

Thus he was able to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Again, Albanian is the only athlete, he wanted to compete in the three disciplines, Super-G, Giant Slalom and Slalom again in Vancouver. In training in Vancouver is Tola had violated, which could have had an impact on his performance: In the giant slalom, he was only 63, in the slalom in 48th last, after he had to rise because of a missed gate. In the super -G it is not started.

At the games in Sochi in 2014 he was registered and was again the flag; first time was the Albanian delegation of two athletes and closed the skier Suela Mehilli with a. Tola could but at the races not start after he had the forearm and the hand was broken in training and had to undergo surgery. He spent five days in a local hospital.

Statistics

Quotes

" Man is a little hero, if you are all alone at the Olympics. But it makes no real fun. "

" I could not win in any case a medal, but I kept going. "