Haiti is to compete at the FISU Winter World University Games for the first time ©Getty Images

Cross-country skier Theo Mallett is to become the first athlete from Haiti to compete at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Winter World University Games, with the nation set to make its debut at Lake Placid 2023 later this week.

Mallett is a dual citizen of Haiti and Canada and will be flanked by his father Dan at the Games, who is his coach, manager and wax technician.

It comes shortly after the country qualified athletes for the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica.

The 21-year-old visual arts student at Heritage College in Quebec will be one of those skiers in Slovenia, but first turns his attention to representing Haiti at Lake Placid 2023.

"It's exciting, and it's going to be a good experience," said Mallett.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Theo Mallett is aiming to compete at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics ©Getty Images
Theo Mallett is aiming to compete at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics ©Getty Images

He added that the Games were a precursor to potential participation at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Mallett was adopted by his parents Dan and Diane Lemire in October 2004 in Haiti when he was just over two years old, six months after the coup d'état.

His father was a top-level biathlete in the 1980s before becoming his son's coach.

If he is successful in reaching the 2026 Games, he will share something in common with the country's only Winter Olympian to date - Richardson Viano.

Viano was adopted by an Italian couple before going on to compete in Alpine skiing at Beijing 2022.

The Lake Placid 2023 FISU Winter World University Games is scheduled to start on Thursday (January 12), ending on January 22.