INTERNATIONAL: As Beijing prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, Mexico is looking forward to an event that may inspire future generations of athletes.

The country has never won a medal at the Winter Games, and for the Mexican Olympic Committee vice president Daniel Aceves, it would be a source of pride and prestige.

According to the Mexican Olympic Committee vice president Daniel Aceves, Mexico needs representatives on the international stage in all areas, and sporting prowess influences how a country is perceived. So, a medal would show discipline and commitment from a country without the climate for more common practice of winter sports.

As a country not typically associated with winter sports, Mexico will nevertheless send four athletes to Beijing 2022. The delegation is made up of one cross-country skier, two alpine skiers, and the best figure skater the country has produced in a generation.

Twenty-two-year-old Donovan Carrillo is the figure skater who will represent his country at a Winter Olympics in 30 years and will carry the flag for Mexico at the opening ceremony.

Carillo says "Being the first Mexican to qualify for the Beijing Olympics makes me very proud. These Olympic Games in Beijing 2022 have been a beacon of hope. It relieves a lot of the uncertainty we have lived through during the pandemic.”

Mexico has observed the efforts of China's Olympic organization as part of society's response to the pandemic. The country knows that the games will be seen around the world, and send a message of resilience and unity.