Here are the five South Africans competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The delegation is the largest the nation has ever sent to a Winter Olympics and the first since PyeongChang in South Korea in 2018. South Africa sent four athletes to the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley, USA.

The 2026 Winter Games, dubbed Milano Cortina, are being hosted in Milan while Cortina d'Ampezzo serves as the anchor for the mountain events. 

The South Africans will compete in Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, and Skeleton events. No African has ever won a medal at the Winter Olympics.

Lara Markthaler - Alpine Skiing

The 18-year-old has been on skis since she could stand and was South Africa’s sole representative at the Winter Youth Olympics in 2024.  Markthaler qualified for the Winter Olympics after she finished a career-best 29th in the 2025 World Championships.

Events schedule: 

15 February - Women's giant slalom - First run 11:00, second run 14:30

18 February - Women's slalom - First run 11:00, second run 14:30

Thomas Weir - Alpine Skiing

South Africa's other mountain skier is also a teenager, aged just 17. Racing out of Switzerland, Weir has starred in junior events this year. He finished sixth in Switzerland's National Junior Race in the Giant Slalom and Slalom.

Events schedule: 

14 February - Men's Giant slalom - First run 11:00, second run 14:30

16 February - Men's Slalom - First run 11:00, second run 14:30

Matthew Smith - Cross-Country Skiing

Smith took the path less travelled. The now 35-year-old went from being a cross-country skiiing novice to going to the Winter Olympics in just three years. Moving to Norway helped. Smith competed at the 2025 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships and subsequently qualified for Milano Cortina.

Event schedule:

13 February - Men's 10km Interval Start Free 12:45

Malica Malherbe - Freestyle Skiing

The 21-year-old will compete for style points in the Women's Moguls (solo run) and  Women's dual moguls (1v1) in Italy. Skiiing out of Canada, her career highlight is an 18th place finish at the World Cup in Kazakastan in 2025.

Events schedule: 

10 February - Women's Moguls - 11:15

14 February - Women's Dual Moguls - 11:30

Nicole Burger - Skeleton

The Cape Town-born athlete only competed in her first international event in the Europe Cup in December 2023 after around two months of training. But Burger grew into it and was ranked 51st in the global standings by the end of the season. One year later, she made her World Cup debut and moved up to 30th in the rankings.

Event schedule:

13 February - Runs 1 and 2 17:00