Sarah Escobar carried Ecuador's flag at the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony ©Getty Images

Ecuadorian Olympic Committee (COE) President Jorge Delgado plans to create a national Winter Sports Federation, with the country set to be represented at back-to-back Winter Olympic Games.

Ecuador had never appeared at the Winter Games until Pyeongchang 2018, when Klaus Jungbluth Rodriguez took part in the men's 15 kilometres freestyle cross-country skiing race.

Sarah Escobar then represented the nation in Alpine skiing events at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, and is also due to compete at Beijing 2022.

It will mean Ecuador has been represented at three Winter Olympic events in a row.

Ecuador does not currently have a dedicated national governing body for skiing, with the COE instead featuring on the International Ski Federation's list of members.

With this in mind, Delgado is hopeful that an impressive showing from Escobar at Beijing 2022 can be a catalyst for Ecuadorian winter sports.

"We hope for a good participation, that it has a good result, because it is making a pass at the future Games, that is important for us as COE, to create a Winter Sports Federation that meets its needs, that not only covers Alpine skiing or cross country, we also want it to cover other disciplines," Delgado told the state-run China Global Television Network.

Klaus Jungbluth Rodriguez became Ecuador's first Winter Olympian at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images
Klaus Jungbluth Rodriguez became Ecuador's first Winter Olympian at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images

 "Create a culture for which more followers are added, whether they are Ecuadorians who live in the country or abroad in countries where it is cold intense and snow."

While Escobar and Jungbluth before her are both skiers, Delgado is optimistic that Ecuador could soon have Olympic representation in other winter sports.

"We are going to see with this participation that this is going to spread and we are sure that there are going to be many more athletes who practice other disciplines such as bobsleigh, who are going to try to join the Ecuadorian team," the COE President added.

"She [Escobar] is one of the pioneers, we are going to try to carry out a campaign to spread the word and attract fans of winter sports so that they can participate representing her country."

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso attended the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony yesterday - shunning a United States-led diplomatic boycott of the Games - an is due to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping today.