2026 Winter Olympics: How to Watch and Follow South Africa’s Athletes at Milano Cortina
- South Africa will field its largest-ever Winter Olympics team in Italy, underlining a quiet but steady rise in niche winter sports
- Five athletes across four disciplines will represent Mzansi at Milano Cortina, from alpine skiing to the high-risk world of skeleton racing
- Despite long medal odds, South Africa’s presence signals a broader African push to challenge global perceptions at the Winter Games
South Africa is making history at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, sending five athletes to Italy, the largest Winter Games contingent the country, and Africa, has ever fielded.
Source: Getty Images
For a nation better known for sunshine than snow, Team South Africa’s presence is less about podium pressure and more about progress, representation and rewriting what is possible for African athletes on the global winter stage. From alpine skiing to skeleton racing, South Africans will once again fly the flag at a Games that runs from 4 to 22 February 2026.
South Africa’s Winter Olympians at Milano Cortina 2026
Team South Africa’s five athletes are spread across four winter disciplines, indicating the steady growth of niche winter sports in the country:
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Lara Markthaler – Alpine skiing
Thomas Weir – Alpine skiing
Malica Malherbe – Freestyle skiing
Matthew Smith – Cross-country skiing
Nicole Burger – Skeleton
Malherbe’s freestyle skiing appearance stands out as one of the most eye-catching entries, while Burger continues to break ground in skeleton, one of the Winter Olympics’ most demanding and dangerous events.
Although medals are unlikely, South Africa’s athletes arrive with momentum, international exposure and a growing fan base back home, particularly on social media, where behind-the-scenes content from the Olympic Village has drawn strong engagement.
Fans can follow Team South Africa’s journey on Instagram via @officialteamrsa, with athletes regularly sharing moments from training, competition days and life inside the Olympic Village.
How to watch the Winter Olympics in South Africa
South African viewers will be able to follow every major moment from Milano Cortina live.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be broadcast on SuperSport, airing across:
SuperSport Variety channels 1 to 4
SuperSport Action
Live streaming will also be available on Showmax Pro, giving fans flexible access to events featuring South Africa’s athletes.
Source: Getty Images
South Africa’s participation also anchors a broader African presence at the Games, with 15 athletes from the continent competing, the second-highest African representation in Winter Olympics history. While Africa is still chasing its first Winter Olympics medal, Milano Cortina 2026 represents something just as significant: visibility, belief and the slow dismantling of the idea that winter sport belongs to only a few parts of the world.
Former Olympic stars have made headlines in 2026 off the field. Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding was, after more than a decade on the run and now faces charges of major drug trafficking and murder in the United States.
South African Paralympic legend Natalie du Toit was also in the spotlight for reasons outside the swimming pool, with reports revealing that the decorated athlete was facing a formal demand from the South African Revenue Service for more than R1 million in unpaid taxes.
Pistorius finishes 3rd in Durban Ironman race
Briefly News previously reported that Oscar Pistorius has made a low-key comeback to competitive sport, competing in the Durban Half Ironman, where he secured third place in his division.
This was the former Paralympic champion’s second official competition since leaving prison. Pistorius spent more than ten years incarcerated for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and now lives under strict parole supervision.
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Source: Briefly News
