External links
| Olympic Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Manuel Repollet (2002) [9] | Flagbearer for  Puerto Rico PyeongChang 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Alpine skier ♂ | |
| Disciplines | Giant slalom |
|---|---|
| Born | December 19, 2000 Cincinnati, Ohio, United States [1] |
| Olympics | |
| Teams | 1 – ( 2018 ) |
| Medals | 0 (0 gold) |
| World Championships | |
| Teams | 0 |
| Medals | 0 (0 gold) |
Charles Flaherty (born December 19, 2000 [2] ) is an American born alpine skier who competed for Puerto Rico in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Flaherty was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. [1] In 2008, Charles saved his younger brother's life by donating his bone marrow. His brother, William, was dying from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; his only chance at living was a bone marrow transplant. [3] Charles, seven at the time, was found to be a match [3] and willingly underwent a three-hour surgery to harvest the marrow which successfully saved his younger brother.
In 2010, after a few years of recovery, the family moved to Puerto Rico. [1] Charles was nine years old. He attended St John's School and TASIS Dorado before he switched to Laurel Springs School, an accredited online institution, in 2013. He and his family moved in 2015 from Dorado, to Rio Grande, and then back to Dorado, where he still resides.
Flaherty was 13 years old when he began skiing competitively. Watching the 2014 Winter Olympics sparked his interest in taking up the sport. [4] Flaherty trains in Colorado from late October to late April each winter, and returns to Puerto Rico for the summers where he enjoys kitesurfing and swimming in the warm Caribbean waters. He also does a lot of training in Canada and Chile each summer for a few weeks.
Flaherty had to convince the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee to allow him to compete for the island. In 2002, the bobsleigh team that was set to compete for Puerto Rico was withdrawn as one athlete (Michael Gonzales) did not meet Puerto Rico Olympic Committee rules about eligibility. After this, the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee withdrew the recognition of the Winter Sports Federation for the territory, effectively ending any hopes for athletes competing at the Winter Olympics. [5] Alpine skier Kristina Krone qualified to represent the territory at both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Sochi respectively. However, both times the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee refused to even acknowledge her qualification and the territory did not compete. [6] In December 2017, the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee allowed a six-month temporary membership to the Winter Sports Federation, without funding, thus allowing the territory to compete at the 2018 Games. [7] Although Flaherty was born in the United States, he has resided in Puerto Rico Since 2010, which gave him eligibility to compete for the country. [8] Puerto Rico Olympic Committee’s eligibility requirement is three years of residency on the island.
Flaherty competed for Puerto Rico at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the alpine skiing events, specifically in the giant slalom. [1] Flaherty became the first athlete to compete for Puerto Rico at a Winter Olympics since 1998, and the first Puerto Rican athlete sent to a Winter Olympic Games since 2002, when the only athletes sent –a bobsled team –did not compete, because one of the team's members was ruled ineligible. [1] [3]
During the opening ceremony on 9 February, he was the flag bearer for Puerto Rico in the Parade of Nations. [3] Flaherty concluded his participation in the giant slalom 73rd (out of 110 participants) with a time of 2:56.05 (the best time was Marcel Hirscher's 2:18.04).
| Year | ||||||
| Age | Slalom | Giant Slalom | Super G | Downhill | Combined | |
| 2018 | 17 | — | 73 | — | — | — |
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The Cayman Islands sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was the territory's second appearance at a Winter Olympics, following their debut four years prior. The Caymanian delegation consisted of four officials and one athlete, alpine skier Dow Travers, who failed to complete either of his events.
Luxembourg sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–23 February 2014. This was Luxembourg's eighth appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. The Luxembourgian team consisted of one athlete in cross-country skiing, Kari Peters. In the only event he contested, the men's sprint, he finished in 79th place. He withdrew from the 15 km classical due to illness.
Serbia sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics, in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was the nation's second appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Serbian delegation consisted of a single athlete alpine skier Jugoslav Milošević, whose best finish was 29th in the standing men's giant slalom event.
Alessia Afi Dipol is an Italian-Togolese alpine skier who competed for Togo at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in the slalom and giant slalom. Dipol also originally competed for India between 2011 and 2013, but she later switched to compete for Togo even though she has no familial connections to the country, so she could qualify to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics. She also chose to represent the country because her father owns a clothing factory in Togo.
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Chile sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Chile's fourth participation in a Winter Paralympic Games. The Chilean delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Jorge Migueles and Santiago Vega. Migueles finished 25th in the men's standing slalom and 20th in the men's standing giant slalom, while Vega finished 32nd in the regular slalom.
Mexico competed at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This was Mexico's third appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. They were represented by a single athlete, alpine skier Arly Velásquez, who was participating in his second Paralympics. His best finish was 11th place in the sitting super-G.
Iran sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Iran's fifth time participating in a Winter Paralympic Games. The Iranian delegation consisted of a single alpine skier, Sadegh Kalhor, who had his leg amputated in a skiing accident as a teenager. In the standing slalom event, he finished in 20th place.
Armenia sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was the nation's fifth appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of a single alpine skier, Mher Avanesyan, who lost both arms as a child after coming into contact with a high-voltage electrical wire. In the men's standing slalom he came in 34th place out of 35 competitors who finished the race, and he failed to finish the giant slalom.
Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was the second time the country had participated in a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Senad Turkovic and Ilma Kazazic. Neither of the two finished any of their events.
Denmark sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Denmark's tenth appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Danish delegation to Sochi consisted of two alpine skiers, Ulrik Nyvold and Line Damgaard. Nyvold failed to finish either of his events, while Damgaard placed 12th in the women's standing slalom and 15th in the women's standing giant slalom.
Greece sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Greece's third appearance at a Winter Paralympic Games. Their only athlete was alpine skier Efthymios Kalaras. He suffered a spinal cord injury two decades before these Paralympics, and was a returning Paralympic silver medalist from the 2004 Summer Paralympics in the discus throw. He finished 22nd in the sitting giant slalom, nearly a minute behind the gold medal time.
Iceland sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia from 7–16 March 2014. This was Iceland's third time participating at a Winter Paralympic Games. The Icelandic delegation consisted of two alpine skiers, Erna Friðriksdóttir and Jóhann Þór Hólmgrímsson. Jóhann finished 23rd in the men's sitting giant slalom, while Erna finished 10th in the women's sitting slalom and 9th in the women's sitting giant slalom.
Slovenia sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This was the nation's fourth appearance in the Winter Paralympic Games The Slovenian delegation consisted of a single athlete, the alpine skier Gal Jakič, who failed to finish either of his two events.
Puerto Rico competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018. This marked the return of the territory to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2002. It was represented by only one athlete, alpine skier Charles Flaherty.
Puerto Rico competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.