MEXICO CITY, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Competing against Nordic powerhouses with a fraction of their resources, Mexico's cross-country skier Allan Corona will make his Olympic debut at Milano Cortina after reinventing himself in a sport where few of his compatriots have ventured.
Having spent more than a decade in triathlon, Corona learned cross-country skiing from scratch after moving to Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic, immersing himself in one of winter sport's most demanding disciplines.
Training far from home and outside established skiing programmes, the 35-year-old qualified for next month's Games through steady international competition in a late-career gamble he said had been challenging but highly enriching.
"It has been a difficult journey, but a very enriching one," Corona told Reuters in an interview. "If it was easy, perhaps it wouldn't be so rewarding.
"I knew what I was getting myself into. I'm glad I made that choice. I stood firm during the most difficult moments, perhaps without a large support like our competitors. I am very grateful that I chose to go down this path."
'MAGNITUDE OF THE SPORT'
What began as a fitness outlet gradually became a competitive ambition, the turning point coming at the 2023 Ski World Championships in Planica, Slovenia, where Corona saw first-hand the scale and depth of international competition.
"That experience had a big impact on me," he said. "Seeing the magnitude of the sport, with other nations and more Mexican athletes competing made me realise there was an opportunity. I thought, if I commit fully, set triathlon aside, I could open up a spot for Mexico."
Two years later, that calculation paid off.
Corona said his decade in triathlon made the move to cross-country skiing easier, since both require sustained endurance, heavy training loads and long-term mental discipline.
Yet his biggest source of preparation, he said, did not come from sport.
"Being a father to three children also pushes you to be at your best," he said. "They demand presence, commitment. Without them, I don't think I would be here today."
BUILDING A PATHWAY
For Corona, his Olympic appearance is intended as a foundation, with a focus on improving his ranking and helping expand Mexico's footprint in cross-country skiing beyond a single cycle.
"This is not just about participating once in the Olympics and crossing the finish line," he said. "It's about building a legacy."
Beyond competition, Corona has worked to attract private sponsors and institutional backing to create development pathways for future athletes, including training opportunities in Norway and greater international exposure before returning that expertise to Mexico.
Reaching the sport's highest professional level, including the World Cup circuit, remains central to that plan, a step to open more Olympic places for Mexican skiers in the future.
That long-term vision, shared by fellow Mexican qualifier Regina Martinez, considers Milano Cortina as the starting point for a broader presence on the global stage.
"To make this work, we have to reach the highest professional level," Corona added. "That's how we give this project real weight for what comes next."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
