Piera Hudson has spoken about the “huge honour” of being flag-bearer for the UAE as the country participates in the Winter Olympics for the first time.
Hudson and fellow Alpine skier Alex Astridge will make history by representing the UAE at the 26th Winter Olympics being held in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina.
While the UAE has took part in the Winter Youth Olympic Games before, the country will now be aiming to make its mark in the senior event.
Both athletes were given the honour of being flag-bearers with Astridge carrying the UAE flag in Milan, with Hudson doing the honours in Cortina.
Hudson, who switched to the UAE in 2025 having previously represented her native New Zealand, is set to compete in her first event on Sunday – the giant slalom.
But before that, the 30-year-old had the “surreal feeling” of taking part in the opening ceremony. “I don't think it will until I'm sort of competing on the day and then it might hit me,” Hudson told New Zealand broadcaster RNZ this week.
“The Olympic opening ceremony was just amazing, I was buzzing, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face. It was the most surreal feeling to have finally sort of had that 'I made it' moment.
“To be flag-bearer on top of that was such a huge honour, so couldn't have asked for a better way to start it off.”
Hudson had won multiple national titles and represented New Zealand on the international stage but had grown increasingly frustrated at missing out on their Olympic squads.
Her links to the UAE went back two decades with Hudson having family based there while also spending many holidays in the country with her cousins. “Shortly after Covid I decided to move to Dubai myself just to make it my home instead of having to trek back to New Zealand so frequently,” added Hudson.
It wasn't until late last year that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) approved her change of nation and then finally the International Olympic Committee.
Like Astridge, Hudson trains at Ski Dubai, one of the biggest indoor ski domes in the world. “You walk into the mall and you're carrying your skis and people are looking at you sideways and then you walk into Ski Dubai and there's a chair lift … you can set up a course, you can get a good slalom training run in,” Hudson said.
“I don't train there too frequently because it doesn't quite emulate World Cup and Olympics conditions but it is really lovely to train with the ski club there.”
In an interview with The National last month, Astridge described his gratitude at being able to represent the UAE on the ski slopes.
“The UAE has this unique circumstance where there's hundreds of thousands of kids just like me who have grown up in the UAE their whole life, and it is their home,” said the 19-year-old.
“It's where they've done everything. They don't know anywhere else as their home. And it’s amazing that I'm part of this and I'm so honoured.”
