Unlikely Winter Athletes Share Their Inspiring Journeys in Olympic Channel Original Series Far From Home

Bobsledder Carrie Russell, Figure Skater Julian Yee and Luger Shiva Keshavan Help Launch the Series at The Olympic Museum

MADRID – 3 May 2018 – From the Caribbean to the Himalayas and South America to the Middle East, Olympic hopefuls from around the world share the dream of competing at the Olympic Games, showing the world that circumstances do not define their potential.

The Olympic Channel’s new documentary series Far From Home presented by Bridgestone brings you the inspiring stories behind the most unlikely winter Olympic athletes who faced financial, personal and cultural hurdles on their journeys before, during and after the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

The multi-part series will debut six short-form documentaries on Thursday, 3 May on the Olympic Channel global digital platform which is available worldwide at olympicchannel.com and on its mobile apps. The launch of Far From Home follows an advance screening held the night before at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland that featured Jamaican bobsledder Carrie Russell, Malaysian figure skater Julian Yee and Indian luger Shiva Keshavan.

Each episode follows the incredible journey of an athlete who must balance their personal lives with gruelling training regimes and competitions, including Yee, who represented Malaysia at their first-ever Olympic Winter Games and was the country’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony.

"Every athlete dreams of going to the Olympics, but coming from a tropical country into winter sports, I didn’t even think I would make it," said Yee who trains inside of a busy shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. "Knowing that you, as one person, are able to bring a country together is a great feeling."

The series also features Keshavan, who competed in his sixth Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, and is the first Indian athlete to compete in luge at the Games.

"I chose sport not because it was a career, I chose it because I wanted to make a difference," said Keshavan, who trains on winding mountain highways in the Himalayas and must find ways to support his wife and daughter while pursuing his Olympic dream. "No matter what the adversity is, never give up."

Far From Home also features the inspiring journeys of women’s ice hockey player Sojung Shin from the 2018 host country, Republic of Korea, alpine skier Forough Abbasi from Iran, cross country skier Victor Santos from Brazil, and the first women’s bobsleigh team of Carrie Russell and Jazmine Fenlator from Jamaica as they trained, qualified and competed at PyeongChang 2018.

Filmed over eight months in 12 countries including South Korea during PyeongChang 2018, Far From Home was produced exclusively for the Olympic Channel by Boardwalk Pictures, the award-winning team behind "Chef’s Table," WZRD Media and Madica Productions.

"Far From Home highlights the incredible efforts and sacrifices that athletes are willing to make to achieve their dream of competing in an Olympic Winter Games," said Mark Parkman, General Manager of the IOC’s global Olympic Channel. "No matter what country you’re from, the passionate stories behind these unlikely winter heroes who are bringing their PyeongChang experiences closer to their home countries, are sure to relate to all audiences."

The Olympic Channel is a ground-breaking global platform where fans can experience the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round, and is available worldwide via mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

Olympic Channel Episode Guide: Far From Home

Episode 1 – Far From Home: Sojung Shin – Republic of Korea

The full story of Sojung Shin’s incredible journey as she trained, qualified, and competed in PyeongChang 2018.

Episode 2 – Far From Home: Jazmine Fenlator and Carrie Russell – Jamaica

The full story of the Jamaican female bobsleigh team as they trained, qualified, and competed at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Episode 3 – Far From Home: Shiva Keshavan – India

The inspiring full story of India’s Shiva Keshavan, showcasing his training, qualification, and participation in PyeongChang 2018.

Episode 4 – Far From Home: Julian Yee - Malaysia

The emotional full story of how Julian Yee trained in Malaysian mall in order to make history at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Episode 5 – Far From Home: Forough Abbasi – Iran

The exclusive story of Iran’s top female alpine skier Forough Abbasi as she trained, qualified and competed at her second Winter Games.

Episode 6 – Far From Home: Victor Santos – Brazil

The incredible full story of Brazil’s cross-country champion Victor Santos and how he trained, qualified, and competed at PyeongChang 2018.

The Olympic Channel is a global media destination where fans can experience the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round, and is available worldwide via mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

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About the Olympic Channel

The Olympic Channel is a multi-platform destination where fans can discover, engage and share in the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round. Offering original programming, news, live sports events and highlights, the Olympic Channel provides additional exposure for sports and athletes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in 11 languages. The Olympic Channel was launched in August 2016 in support of the IOC’s goal, set out in Olympic Agenda 2020, of providing a new way to engage younger generations, fans and new audiences with the Olympic Movement. Founding Partners supporting the Olympic Channel are Worldwide TOP Partners Bridgestone, Toyota and Alibaba. The Olympic Channel is available worldwide via mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

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Media Contact

Catherine Philbin

Olympic Channel Communications

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Marta Silva

Olympic Channel Communications/PR Assistant

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