Sochi’s curiosities

The Winter Olympics tend to have a different and quirkier appeal compared to their summer counterpart, which is exemplified by Eddie the Eagle rather than Usain Bolt.

The appeal of the summer Olympics needs no explanation. Elite athletes pushing the boundaries of human potential by being faster, higher and stronger than anyone else on the planet is a universally relatable story. By contrast, the winter games have traditionally been more akin to a little shop of curiosities.

The Jamaican bobsleigh team exemplifies this point. Their homeland is not noted for snow sports but they trained in car parks using shopping trolleys. They will be present in Sochi on February 7, having qualified for selection then relying on funding from the beneficence of strangers who had presumably seen Cool Runnings.

There are many other similarly odd examples. One who will miss out on the 2014 games is South African teenager Sive Speelman, who was declined a spot by his national Olympic committee because he is only the world’s 2,290th best slalom skier.

By contrast, four Indian athletes will appear as independents because their Olympic committee failed to comply with anti-corruption rules.

While Sochi will inevitably witness many inspiring examples of human achievement, one suspects the public image will be continue to focus on the modern-day successors of English ski jumper Eddie the Eagle.