Peru at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Peru first competed at the Summer Olympics at the 1936 Berlin Games, and with the exception of the 1952 Helsinki Games, has participated in every Summer Games since. These Vancouver Olympics, however, would mark the nation's first participation in a Winter Olympic Games.^[1] The Peruvian delegation consisted of three athletes, the alpine skiers and siblings Manfred Oettl Reyes and Ornella Oettl Reyes, and cross-country skier Roberto Carcelen.^[2] Carcelen was chosen as the flag bearer for both the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.^[3][4]

Manfred Oettl Reyes was 16 years old at the time of the Games.^[5] He was born to a German father, and a Peruvian mother, and at the time, said he had only been to Peru twice in his life.^[6] His first event, the giant slalom, was held on 23 February. He posted run times of 1 minute and 29 seconds and 1 minute and 32 seconds.^[7][8] This saw him in 67th place out of 81 competitors who finished the race.^[9] On 27 February, he was disqualified during the first run of the slalom.^[10]

Ornella Oettl Reyes was 18 years old at the time of the Vancouver Olympics.^[5] During 24–25 February, she took part in the weather-impacted giant slalom, finishing the first run in a time of 1 minute and 27 seconds,^[11] but she failed to finish the second run and went unplaced in the final standings.^[12] The next day, she had a similar experience in the giant slalom, finishing the first run in a time of 59 seconds, but failing to complete the second run.^[13][14]

Roberto Carcelen was 39 years old at the time of the Vancouver Olympics.^[5] He took up skiing at the age of 34, after meeting his wife on an online dating site and moving from Peru to Seattle, Washington.^[15] He secured qualification at an event held at the Silver Star Mountain Resort in British Columbia.^[15] In his race, the 15 kilometre freestyle, he finished with a time of 45 minutes and 53 seconds, placing 94th out of 95 competitors.^[16]