2026 Olympics Held In Which Country: Italy — South African Teen Lara Markthaler Marks Olympic Debut on Her 19th Birthday
On Feb. 15 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, 19-year-old South African alpine skier Lara Markthaler celebrated her birthday by officially becoming an Olympian at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. The moment matters because it marked both a personal milestone and a national first that highlights South Africa’s record-sized Winter Olympics delegation.
Lara Markthaler's 19th birthday and Olympic debut
Markthaler described the day as a career-defining moment after completing her run at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center. She said that once she pushed out of the start-gate she felt like an Olympian, and that reaching the finish line allowed her to take the experience in — including friends in the crowd holding a banner and cheering her on. She celebrated the finish with the simple wish of having a hot chocolate afterward.
Tofane Alpine Skiing Center course features that shaped her run
At the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center, Markthaler encountered a course she described as having many rollers and an unusual jump into the finish area, features she said are not typical for giant slalom runs. Those elements influenced her approach; she said the rollers are something South African skiers do not usually train on and that the jump was notable, though she felt "kind of OK" going over it. She suggested a second run might be faster and that she might jump a bit further the next time.
Finish position: 47th among 54 competitors who completed the race
Markthaler crossed the line 47th in a field where 54 competitors completed the race. The placement came in a contested field and followed a start that drew intense attention, with a large camera at the top of the course and a crowd at the bottom — details she highlighted when reflecting on the emotional weight of the day.
Federica Brignone's presence on the start list
Markthaler noted she competed in the same field as Italy's first-run leader, Federica Brignone, whom she said she had met a few days earlier at a Rossignol photo-shoot and photographed with. She said racing alongside Brignone — whose return from a double leg fracture in the past year Markthaler described as "incredible" — added to the occasion.
South Africa's five-member Winter Olympics team and national significance
Markthaler emphasized the broader significance of her participation for South Africa. She is part of a five-member South African team at the Winter Olympics, a delegation she said is the biggest the country has ever sent to the Winter Games. Becoming the first female alpine skier at the Olympics for South Africa, she framed the achievement as an opportunity to put South Africa on the ski-racing map and to raise awareness of domestic facilities such as the Tiffindell ski resort.
Tiffindell and hopes to inspire future skiers
Markthaler expressly linked her appearance at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games to a desire to inspire others at home. She noted that not many South Africans know about Tiffindell, the ski resort she mentioned, and said that if her presence at the Games encourages one young girl to start skiing, that would be a great accomplishment for her.
What makes this notable is the convergence of personal and national milestones: a 19-year-old athlete marking her birthday by becoming an Olympian, racing amid distinctive course features at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center, and doing so as part of South Africa's largest-ever Winter Olympics delegation. The timing matters because the performance and visibility at these Milan-Cortina Winter Games could influence awareness of skiing back home and the next generation of South African winter athletes.
