Eight National Olympic Committees participated in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. They fielded 14 athletes. What were the results? With five athletes competing, South Africa had the biggest team on the continentIn her first Olympics, Lara Markthaler (19 years old) finished 47th in the giant slalom, then 39th in the slalom. A great experience "for the young skier, who is one of the athletes who benefit from the Olympic Solidarity program.
Her compatriots fared less well. Malica Malherbe (21 years old) was eliminated in the moguls qualifying rounds, then was predictably knocked out in the first round of the duels against one of the world's best, Jakara Anthony. Nicole Burger (21 years old) finished 25th and last in the women's skeleton, cross-country skier Matthew Smith (35 years old) finished 108th in the 10km, and Thomas Weir (17 years old) He made a mistake in the first run of the men's slalom, like many others. He had also finished 63rd in the giant slalom.
Madagascar closely followed the adventures of Mialitiana Clerc (24 years old)50th in the giant slalom and then 49th in the slalom. His compatriot Mathieu Gravier (22 years old) took 57th place in the men's giant slalom. Making his Winter Games debut, Benin cheered on Nathan Tchibozo, 48th in the giant slalom. However, he was unsuccessful in the slalom, being among the 51 skiers who did not finish the first run. A similar scenario for Eritrean Shannon Abeda (29 years old)He finished 69th in the giant slalom and did not finish the slalom. He was participating in his third Winter Olympics.
The young Winston Tang (19 years old), the first representative in the history of Guinea-BissauHe will leave with a head full of memories, but he too made a mistake during the first run of the men's slalom – the only event in which he competed. Kenya's sole athlete, 18-year-old Issa Gachingiri Laborde Dit Pere, competed in the giant slalom and finished in 66th place.
For Morocco, Pietro Tranchina (22 years old) unfortunately fell during the giant slalom on February 14th and did not finish the race. The other Moroccan representative, Abderrahim Kemmissa (31 years old), finished 103rd in the 10km cross-country skiing race. Nigerian cross-country skier Samuel Ikpefan (34 years old)He finished 65th in the classic sprint, where 95 athletes competed. He also took 94th place in the 10km. These performances are all the more respectable considering he underwent major knee surgery in September.
