Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda
Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 15, 1996 Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada |
| Occupation | Alpine skier |
| Years active | 2011–2019, 2021–present |
| Known for | First Winter Olympian for Eritrea; competed at 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics |
Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda (born 15 May 1996) is an alpine skier of Eritrean-Canadian heritage. Representing Eritrea, he made history as the nation's first Winter Olympian at the 2018 Games, competing in alpine skiing events. At those Olympics, Abeda placed 61st in the giant slalom, did not complete the initial run of the slalom, and later finished 39th at the 2022 Winter Olympics. His parents fled Eritrea during the War of Independence in the 1980s and settled in Canada. Abeda also took part in the first-ever Winter Youth Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012, representing Eritrea.
Initially intending to pause his skiing career during the 2018/2019 season to pursue university studies, Abeda instead retired from alpine skiing and shifted his focus to bobsleigh, while leaving open the possibility of returning for the 2022 Winter Olympics. In 2021, he resumed alpine skiing competitions and publicly declared his comeback with the goal of qualifying for the 2022 Games. He earned qualification on December 21, 2021, but announced another retirement shortly after competing. Despite this, as of 2023, he maintains an active FIS license and has expressed ambitions to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
On January 26, 2025, Abeda secured qualification for his third appearance at the Winter Olympic Games.
Early life
Born in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Abeda is the son of Eritrean immigrants Walday and Ariam Abeda. His father worked as a geological engineer in the Oil and Gas sector and initially accepted an entry-level engineering role that brought the family to Fort McMurray. Abeda took up skiing at age three after his sister’s visit to a ski hill inspired their parents to enroll both children in lessons. Although he and his brother showed interest in hockey, their parents were wary of potential injuries. The family relocated to Calgary in 2003, where Abeda’s enthusiasm for Alpine skiing grew as he trained at Banff Sunshine within the Rocky Mountains. At ten years old, encouraged by his coach TJ to challenge himself further, he began pursuing an Olympic path, achieving top regional standings and qualifying for national competitions.
Career
In 2011, Abeda opted to represent Eritrea internationally by obtaining citizenship through his parents with the goal of competing at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games. His international debut came that year with regional competitions across Canada and the United States. He narrowly missed qualifying for the 2014 Winter Olympics by just four FIS points but successfully qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics. After those Games, he took a break from competition to focus on academics and recover from jaw surgery following a training accident in 2017 that resulted in a fractured jaw and tooth loss. Previous injuries included a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a fractured tibia sustained in 2016; these required surgeries and rehabilitation before he returned to competition in 2017 and met Olympic qualification standards. Although planning a return for the 2019/2020 alpine season, he ultimately announced retirement.
In July 2019, Abeda shared on LinkedIn that he was training at WinSport's ice house and hinted at transitioning to Bobsleigh with hopes of competing in 2022. Later that month, he confirmed this switch while officially retiring from alpine skiing. Nevertheless, by 2021 he had resumed alpine competition; this was confirmed after participating in two FIS races that September. On December 21, 2021, he earned a quota spot for the 2022 Winter Olympics. After those Games concluded, Abeda once again announced his retirement from alpine skiing via social media platforms; however, his FIS license remains valid.
Personal life
Abeda is deeply passionate about weightlifting and programming, dedicating much of his time away from skiing to Olympic weightlifting, boxing, running, and coding. He promotes the Bulgarian training methodology and acknowledges that Cory Gregory's SquatEveryDay program significantly influenced his workout routine and played a key role in his knee recovery.
Following his unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Sochi Olympics, Abeda delivered a talk at a TedX event where he shared insights on overcoming challenges. He discussed both the physical and psychological toll of his experience, as well as how participating in the 2012 Youth Olympic Games adversely affected his confidence and public image.
During the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Abeda was joined by his brother Metawee. His family also provided support throughout the event, with his father Walday serving as the chef de mission within the Olympic village.
In May 2019, Abeda made a visit to Eritrea for Independence Day celebrations to declare his intention to compete in the 2022 Winter Games and to encourage the recruitment of additional athletes. He works closely with the Eritrean National Olympic Committee to develop a Winter Olympic team by engaging members of the diaspora community.
Currently, Abeda lives and trains in Calgary. He is an alumnus of William Aberhart High School, where he earned a French diploma.
See also
- Eritrea at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics
- Eritrea at the 2018 Winter Olympics
- Eritrea at the 2022 Winter Olympics
External links
- 1996 births
- Canadian male alpine skiers
- Eritrean male alpine skiers
- University of Lethbridge alumni
- Living people
- Canadian people of Eritrean descent
- Sportspeople from Fort McMurray
- Skiers from Alberta
- Alpine skiers at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics
- Alpine skiers at the 2018 Winter Olympics
- Alpine skiers at the 2022 Winter Olympics
- Olympic alpine skiers for Eritrea