Ceccarelli proud of Winter Games finish

BORMIO, Italy — Francis Ceccarelli will say goodbye to the 25th Winter Olympics with the hope of being a better, stronger and faster skier.

The 22-year-old, based in Abetone, Tuscany with his Italian parents, saw action in alpine skiing’s giant slalom and slalom events the past week.

He was 54th among 81 entries in the giant slalom and did not advance to the second run of the slalom, where only 39 of 96 skiers survived the brutal test.

But Ceccarelli didn’t really complain about the dangerous and slippery slopes of the Stelvio Ski Centre, with close to zero visibility under heavy snow. He said it’s part of the game.

“It’s okay. Slalom is very difficult,” he said of the event offering tight turns and closely spaced gates (flags) all the way down to the finish at a maximum speed of 70 kph.

Instead, he said he will find ways to get better.

“Never stop,” he said hours after Monday’s slalom competition, where even the gold medalist in the giant slalom, Lucas Pinheiro of Brazil, did not finish the race.

“Just never stop. Every day you can get really better. You can upgrade every day. And so, yeah, the next time, for the races, be better,” Ceccarelli added.