SA delegation leader highlights gruelling path to winter games

The leader of South Africa's delegation to the Winter Olympics said that the greatest challenge for a South African athlete is becoming a Winter Olympian.

Five athletes were chosen to represent the country at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, scheduled to start on 6 February

It's the biggest delegation the country has sent to a Winter Games, eclipsing the four who competed at the 1960 Games in the US.

The Chef de Mission who will be leading team SA's delegation is Alex Heat,h a seasoned Olympian who represented the country in alpine skiing at three previous games.

"It's the greatest challenge for a South African to become a Winter Olympian because you end up spending the majority of your life chasing snow. You make a choice and say this is what I want to do, and it's quite amazing for me to see that we have five athletes who have dedicated their lives to this sport and have managed to qualify."

Heath says he hopes the two teenage Alpine Skiers in the squad, 17-year-old Thomas Weir and 18-year-old Lara Marthaler, will inspire other young people to do the sport.

However, long-serving president of Snow Sports South Africa, Peter Pilz, says funding is a problem.

"In respect of qualification, it's all up to the athletes who take it upon themselves to pay for the coaching. The travelling, the equipment, and then probably take up to 12 years to qualify. Enormous amounts of money need to be spent, and dedication and commitment from the families. We have to take our hats off."

The remaining members of the squad include Malica Malherbe, Nicole Burger, and Matthew Smith.