Flying Solo: Some Olympic Athletes Are Their Country’s Whole Team

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Heather KnightFebruary 6, 2026 at 09:43 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

At the Winter Olympics in Italy, 15 nations are represented by a single athlete. Among them is Malaysia, whose sole competitor is 21-year-old Alpine skier Aruwin Salehhuddin, who also carried the flag at the opening ceremony. This is her second Olympics, having been the first woman to represent Malaysia at the Winter Games four years ago. The list of single-athlete countries includes representatives from Eritrea, Pakistan, Malta, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico, competing in various skiing and sliding events. Some athletes choose to represent their parents' homeland for increased opportunities or family pride. Salehhuddin, inspired by her father, who competed for Malaysia in the 1996 Olympics, grew up skiing in the United States after her parents immigrated there.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Puerto Rico 30% Eritrea 30% Pakistan 30% Malta 30% Nigeria 30% Italy 40% United States ×250% Winter Olympics ×270% Malaysia ×680% Aruwin Salehhuddin ×690%

Keywords

winter olympics 100% single athlete representation 90% alpine skiing 70% national representation 70% malaysia 60% aruwin salehhuddin 60% flag bearer 50% olympic charter 40%