Teen snow star Thomas Weir hits the big runs for South Africa at the Winter Olympics

South Africa is making history with its largest‑ever Winter Olympics team at Milano Cortina 2026. Seventeen‑year‑old Thomas Weir is one of two teens in the squad, racing in slalom and giant slalom and proudly planting the SA flag in the snow. Raised in Switzerland, he turned weekend fun into serious competition and chose to represent his father’s homeland to help grow winter‑sports representation. Balancing school with year‑round training, glacier sessions in summer and snow skiing in winter, he says carrying the SA flag at the opening ceremony has been his biggest moment yet. He fuels himself with biltong and keeps the braai spirit alive, even in sub‑zero conditions. His advice to any youngster nervous about trying something new: just go for it; you never know what passion might take hold.

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Edited transcript of the interview

Linda van Tilburg (00:00)

South Africa has sent its biggest ever Winter Olympics team to Milano Cortina in Italy. And among them are two teenagers. One of them is 17-year-old alpine skier Thomas Weir. Thomas is joining us from the Alps where he’s been training and competing in the Olympics. Thomas, thanks for taking your time to chat to us. Great to have you.

Well, when we look at somebody like you, we think, where did this all start? How come you, as a South African, are skiing in the Olympics?

Thomas Weir (00:38)

Yeah, so I actually started skiing in Switzerland just for fun and then yeah, I started racing and it became like my main sport.

Linda van Tilburg (00:42)

And were you born in South Africa? Do you have parents who are South African?

Thomas Weir (00:50)

Yeah, my dad’s South African and I’m actually born in Switzerland.

Linda van Tilburg (00:56)

So you actually have something in common with Roger Federer.

Thomas Weir (01:02)

Yeah. Yeah.

Linda van Tilburg (01:07)

Have you met him?

Thomas Weir (01:10)

No, no, I’ve never met him, but I’d like to. But yeah, he’s definitely a legend.

Linda van Tilburg (01:16)

How did South Africa become part of your sporting identity?

Thomas Weir (01:20)

Yeah, so like two years ago, I started skiing internationally. So I had to choose a country to represent. So yeah, I chose to represent South Africa because it meant a lot to me. And yeah, a year later, the opportunity of the Olympics came to me. So I got my points to qualify and now I’m here.

Linda van Tilburg (01:38)

So why did you decide to ski for South Africa instead of Switzerland?

Thomas Weir (01:45)

Yeah, like I think South Africa has not a lot at all of representation in the winter sports. So it was just a great opportunity to represent a country that doesn’t have much representation in that. And I’m just so proud to represent South Africa.

Linda van Tilburg (01:58)

Do you still feel a close connection to the country?

Thomas Weir (02:02)

Yeah, yeah, I feel super close. I watch every single sport that South Africa is competing in. I try to go there like as much as I can. I love being there. So yeah, it’s just so cool to be there when I can.

Linda van Tilburg (02:14)

Okay, and tell us about the events you’re competing in at the Olympics.

Thomas Weir (02:20)

So yeah, I’m competing in alpine skiing. So there’s four disciplines and I’m competing in two, which are slalom and giant slalom. So slalom is the slowest but most technical discipline. Like shorter turns, less speed, but yeah, a lot of technical abilities that you need to have. And my second discipline is giant slalom, which is a bit quicker. Like bigger turns, way more speed and a bit less technical but still more on the technical side.

Linda van Tilburg (02:50)

And I see on your Instagram you explained what the different skis look like for the two events. Can you tell us about that?

Thomas Weir (03:02)

Yeah, so for slalom because it’s slow, we have shorter skis. So they’re for shorter turns, so you can turn quicker. It’ll be way more explosive in a way. It’ll go way faster when you push on it, or just straight turn. And the giant skis are way longer, so they’re for longer turns. And they also gather more speed.

Linda van Tilburg (03:22)

So how’s it been going with the team in Switzerland so far?

Thomas Weir (03:30)

Yeah, it’s been all good, good training. Yeah, now it’s just getting ready for the event and looking forward to it.

Linda van Tilburg (03:40)

So you haven’t competed yet?

Thomas Weir (03:44)

No, no, I’m competing on Saturday and Monday. Saturday will be the giant slalom.

Linda van Tilburg (03:54)

So what does it take to train for an Olympics and to become an Olympian? What kind of dedication and what kind of hours does it take?

Thomas Weir (04:05)

Yeah, so for skiing it’s just trying to get the most training on snow. So just finding the snow. In summer we go train on the glaciers where there’s snow the whole year. So yeah, we have these camps where we go train during the summer. And then when winter comes there’s of course a lot more snow so it’s easier to train. And we can train more often during the week, during the weekend so it’s pretty nice.

Linda van Tilburg (04:28)

How does the title Olympian feel to you? How does that roll off the tongue?

Thomas Weir (04:35)

I don’t know if it feels very real yet. Yeah, just such an honor like just to be here, to be next to legends of every sport. So yeah, just a privilege and an honor to be here.

Linda van Tilburg (04:50)

So that opening ceremony was so nice to see the South African flag there. How did it feel for you to walk as one of five South African athletes?

Thomas Weir (04:57)

Yeah, it was just like so awesome to just carry the flag there on the big stage. It’s just an incredible feeling. Yeah, we were two athletes in Livigno where we were marching and then there was three other athletes in two other places.

Linda van Tilburg (05:10)

What’s been the most surreal moment so far?

Thomas Weir (05:15)

Yeah, I think definitely the opening ceremony was something special. Just marching, carrying your flag, you actually feel like you’re representing your country. So yeah, that was probably the greatest moment yet.

Linda van Tilburg (05:25)

Who have you bumped into in the village that made you think, okay, is this real?

Thomas Weir (05:30)

Yeah, well I’ve met a few very good skiers like Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and stuff, was very cool. So yeah, I’ve met like River Radamus from America, a few French guys and yeah, was really cool speaking to them.

Linda van Tilburg (05:59)

So where do you see your skiing going over the next few years?

Thomas Weir (06:05)

Yeah, so for now I’m still kind of doing a dual career. So I’m still into a lot of school. So yeah, I’ll see what happens next, how it goes with school and then I’ll have to choose between skiing and school, but yeah for now, it’s still a bit of both.

Linda van Tilburg (06:22)

Is there anything you would like South Africans back home to know about you? What about that biltong that we’ve seen popping up?

Thomas Weir (06:30)

Yeah, that’s definitely my favourite food ever. Like the one thing I probably miss from South Africa, just being able to walk in the supermarket, get some biltong. But yeah, definitely the best.

Linda van Tilburg (06:41)

Do you keep that for a bit of energy in between?

Thomas Weir (06:45)

Yeah, well every time I go there I try to stack up the biltong, get it back here and keep it. But yeah. It’s my favourite snack.

Linda van Tilburg (06:55)

What’s the one piece of advice you would pass on to someone your age who’s scared to try something difficult?

Thomas Weir (07:00)

Yeah, I would just say like go try these type of things. Just try because it can just become something you become so passionate about. Yeah, just even if it feels like a bit weird to try these things, just go out there, try it. It’s just the best.

Linda van Tilburg (07:12)

Does your dad braai in the snow?

Thomas Weir (07:15)

Yeah, we love to braai so yeah, we do it as much as we can.

Linda van Tilburg (07:28)

Well, Thomas Weir, thanks so much for speaking to us and good luck. We’re watching you and it’s so nice to see that there are South Africans representing us in an Olympic Games.

Thomas Weir (07:38)

Yeah, it’s so cool to be able to represent such a big sports country. It’s incredible.

Linda van Tilburg (07:46)

Do you still watch rugby?

Thomas Weir (07:49)

Of course, I watch every single game, every club game, every Springbok game.