Gangwon 2024: Jamaican skiers share message of diversity and inclusion: "Sports shouldn't be based on colour"
The Rivers siblings were among a small number of black skiers to take part in the alpine competition at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, and now hope to inspire the next generation.
Alpine Skiing
At the alpine skiing competitions at the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024, 16-year-olds Henniyah and Henri Rivers IV were blazing a trail for winter sports athletes of colour.
The siblings were racing for Jamaica—the country of origin of their mother, Kare.
“I think diversity is important because in skiing in this world, there's not that much inclusion and equity,” said Henri, who finished 39th out of 79 participants in the men's slalom on the slopes of the High 1 Jeongseon Ski Resorts.
“To have people of colour or people of all skin tones being able to ski and be good at it, it shows that not just white people can ski, it shows that everyone can ski and everyone can be good at it, and everyone can have fun doing it.”
His sister echoed Henri's words: “Sports should not be based on colour.”
She then added: “If you want to do a sport, you should be able to do it. Representing Jamaica is a great opportunity to share winter experiences for people that don't have snow and letting them know that it's okay, that you can ski no matter where you live or where you are.”
A family mission for inclusion
Henniyah and Henri are two of triplets. Their sibling Helaina sat out of the Games due to an injury.
They are continuing on the path blazed by their father Henri Rivers III, president of the National Brotherhood of Snowsports (NBS): “We've been around for 51 years, and our mission is to identify, develop, and support athletes of colour and get them to an elite status where they can compete for international Olympic opportunities,” said the current head coach of the Jamaica Ski team.
Henri Rivers III has spent years advocating for the inclusion of black skiers, and in recognition of his efforts in 2021, he became the inaugural recipient of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Award.
“The motivation is when you come outside into the cold, into this outdoor wonderland, you want this for everyone. I like this and everyone else should have an opportunity to enjoy it,” he said looking at the mountains around him.
He explained how the NBS is introducing winter sports to young black kids across the USA, from snowboard, ski, and snowshoe, to hike, backcountry, and uphill skiing: “I remember the first trip I did, kids didn't even get up on a snowboard. They were on their belly sliding down the hill on a snowboard, with their wing arms out like wings, just having so much fun. That was more entertaining and exciting to me than even seeing them get up on the snowboard!”
Rivers’ no-profit organisation operates on a volunteer basis, helping around 1,000 kids this year to be exposed to winter sports and has a global outreach, branching out to clubs also in the UK.
If you want to support the National Brotherhood of Snowsports check here.
Henri Rivers III pictured with her son and daughter.
More Jamaican athletes at Winter Games?
Jamaica made its Winter Olympic debut in 1988 with their legendary bobsleigh team, which inspired the movie ‘Cool Runnings.’ Since then, the Caribbean nation has been represented in the sport in almost every edition of the Winter Games.
In 2010, they had their first athlete in ski cross and added skeleton in 2018, while in 2022, Benjamin Alexander became Jamaica’s first alpine skier.
Soon the country could make its Olympic debut in other disciplines:
“There's many disciplines in winter sports. So we're looking at cross-country. We're looking at biathlon, speed skating, even curling,” Henri Rivers III said.
“Cross-country is low hanging fruit, I believe. You know, you don't have to be at a mountain to actually train and cross-country.”
Henniya and Henri Rivers pictured ahead of the Opening Ceremony at Gangwon 2024
Inspiring the next generations of Jamaicans
At Gangwon 2024, Henniyah and Henri, along with bobsledder Adanna Johnson, became the first Youth Winter Olympians from Jamaica since 2016.
“My belief is that the easiest way to get new communities into winter sports is to build role models,” said former skier Alexander, who inspired the Rivers triplets.
Now it’s their turn to be role models for other young kids: “I hope to be an inspiration to a lot of people,” said Henri, who carried the green, black, and yellow flag at the Opening Ceremony
The 16-year-old then concluded: “A lot of young kids hopefully inspire the next generation of Jamaican athletes to participate in winter sports. I feel like this opportunity here is just the beginning of what my sisters and my parents and I plan to do in the future, especially on this global stage. So I feel like this is just the beginning of our journey.”