Laurence Thoms

Laurence Thoms (born March 26, 1980) is a Fijian alpine skier who was born in Suva.[1] He represented Fiji at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and attracted media attention as a competitor from a tropical nation at the Winter Olympics.[2]

Thoms was Fiji's flag-bearer during the Opening Ceremony, being his country's representative,[3] and was the first Pacific Islander to qualify through FIS regulations for the Winter Games[2][4][5] He competed in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events.[4] He failed to complete his first run in the Slalom event after 'clipping' a gate,[6][7] but completed the Giant Slalom and finished fifty-fifth with a time of 2:41.98.[8] Spectators reportedly cheered as they admired the 'Fiji's ice man' competitive speed in the events, and "went crazy when he crossed the finish line".[9]

One newspaper described Thoms' participation as exemplifying "the true spirit of the Games".[9]

Before taking part in the Olympics, Thoms had worked as a white water rafting guide and ski instructor in New Zealand.[10] His participation in the Olympics was funded by a retired Swiss businessman, Toni Hauswirth, living in Fiji, who had founded the Fiji Alpine Ski Association.[3] Hauswirth had taken an advertisement in a Fijian newspaper in 1999 with an offer of all-expenses paid trip to the Olympics.[11][12]