Nicole Burger breaks ice for SA in historic Olympic Skeleton Debut

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) sent the largest-ever contingent to Milano Cortina 2026 with five athletes competing across Alpine Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, Cross-Country and Skeleton.

Nicole Burger finished within the top 25 in the Skeleton event on one of the fastest tracks in the world.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Burger says it's incredible for the country to have sent five athletes to the games and is hoping that the country can show that there are winter athletes that can compete.

"Going to the games, being there, experiencing but looking back I'm incredibly proud. First of all to have represented South Africa on that stage. To pioneer winter sports as well, so having five athletes these Games is incredible for South Africa,” Burger said.

“So, I'm hoping that we show the world that South Africa is here, we have winter athletes and we are gonna compete and hopefully this will get stronger with more athletes in the future."

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Burger moved to the United Kingdom as a child, where she competed in athletics during her youth.

The 31-year-old says she first learned about Skeleton through her job in the Royal Air Force.

"It's a bit of a weird story about how I got into the sport. So, I work for the Royal Airforce in the UK now since we moved over and I just saw it advertised online, 'Come give skeleton' a go,” she added. 

“I had no idea what skeleton was because I didn't know about it before and I was like, now I'm quite quick because I used to do sprinting, so I'll go and give it a go and see what it's all about.

 “Went to the trials days and they invited me to go onto ice and do the actual sliding and I loved and enjoyed it and then five weeks later, I was at my first international competition for South Africa. 

“It just sort of escalated from there, beginning of the 2025 season so then I started in October. I would say, everyone's goal internationally is to reach the pinnacle of the Olympic Games but for me it was just to have the best season and this season I just finished is my third international season. 

“Although the dream was there, the actual expectation of achieving it wasn't very high at the start of the season."