Algeria at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Algeria made its Winter Olympic Games debut at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. The country was absent from the next three Winter Olympics, returning 14 years later for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Although Algeria has won medals in the Summer Olympics, no Algerian athlete has ever won a medal at a Winter Games.[1] The nation sent only one athlete to Vancouver, Mehdi-Selim Khelifi, a cross-country skier. Khelifi was selected as the flag bearer in the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony.[2] Because the delegation had already gone home, an unnamed assistant of the National Olympic Committee carried the flag in the closing ceremony.[3]

Mehdi-Selim Khelifi was 17 years old at the time of the Vancouver Olympics.[4] He was entered into only one event, the 15 kilometre freestyle.[5] The race was held on 15 February 2010, and Khelifi finished with a time of 41 minutes and 38 seconds, roughly eight minutes behind the gold medallist. His time was good for 84th place; there were 95 competitors who finished the race.[6]