Olympians Fly the Flag High - While SA Sleeps

I watched the 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony with butterflies in my tummy, my foot tapping nervously and only one ear on the conversation I was having at the time. The ceremony took place while I was attending a “Purse Party”, which pretty much came to a standstill as I jumped up, clapping and cheering for my team. “Canadian?” You ask. Not on your life. After the long wait through Romania, Russia, Serbia and Slovakia, out marched an admittedly small but valiant team dressed in green and gold and carrying a multi-coloured flag: the South Africans. Pardon me for being unreasonably (some would say insanely) proud of a team from a developing country – my country – that does not have the climate to practice Winter Olympic events!

In the words of Corné and Twakkie, “Deed you kneooow”… that there were South Africans competing in the Vancouver Winter Olympics of 2010? Not many South Africans did. And it’s really not our fault – the media were tchoep stil about it; even a comprehensive internet search does not yield very much. As well as athletes from South Africa, teams from Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal and Algeria also competed. These African Olympians were not medal hopefuls, many of them were self-funded and very few received the recognition or praise they deserved, although the other athletes from Africa were lauded far more in their own countries than our homeboys. Although the South African athletes are in part supported by Snowsports South Africa, the official body representing, well, all snow sports, nobody really knew about them.

The most experienced South African athlete at these Olympics was Oliver Kraas, who competed in a ski event (the Men’s Individual Sprint Classical). Kraas is a thirty-four year old from Germiston who placed 61st out of 62 in his event and carried the South African flag through the arena during the opening ceremony.

Peter Scott, who took part in the Giant Slalom skiing event, is only nineteen years old and trains with teammate Bruce Warner in Europe. They are coached by South Africa’s most successful skier to date, Alexander Heath. Scott did not complete his event in the 2010 Olympics (neither did some of the favorites, namely Bode Miller from the U.S.A.)

Representing South Africa in the Paralympics later this month will be Bruce Warner. He will be competing during the course of the games which run from March 12 – 21st. This Bloem local now trains in Switzerland and will compete in no less than five skiing events: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super Combined, Super G and Downhill. Wow – Good Luck Bruce!

The South African media’s taciturnity about our Winter Olympic team has astounded me. Yes, we have more athletes competing in more events in the Summer Olympics. But haven’t our Winter Olympic team overcome as many obstacles, if not more, than our supported, sponsored Summer Olympic teams? In the build up to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics, let’s be aware that we have a South African competitor and support his efforts to reach the podium.