SA skier Matt Smith on his Olympic goal and confronting critics

One of South African cross-country skier Matt Smith’s inspiring quotes we often hear is: “It is no longer enough just to be a good athlete for results. You need to also have results off the course.”

Over the past two weeks this has come in the form of education after Smith went on Instagram to address comments “flippantly” made by two Nordic skiers on their podcast Skirious Problems. On 6 January, the podcasters, Mika Vermeulen and James Clugnet, criticised the quota system in place to qualify for the Winter Olympics, complaining that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has set the bar low so that it makes it easier for “smaller” and “exotic” nations to qualify.

“It’s tough to see that they [FIS] prioritise these countries over us,” said Vermeulen on the podcast. “Cross-country skiing became this one sport that people from far away, if somebody really wants to become an Olympian, they’ll try in cross-country skiing.”

A few days later, Smith posted a video on Instagram to address the comments.

In his post, Smith informed his followers about the lengths to which athletes representing non-traditional skiing nations must go to qualify in a sport rarely associated with their home countries. These athletes often fund themselves, practise in between day jobs and are limited in resources and community.

“I wanted to speak up because I see my role as an athlete and also as a role model,” Smith told Daily Maverick. “There are little kids listening and watching… and whether they realise it or not, they’re absorbing our behaviours, our language.”

After Smith’s post, the podcasters invited him on their show for a constructive discussion about quotas, language and possible solutions. The discussion teetered between a constructive critique of the system in place and straightforward imperialist rhetoric.

“I wasn’t there to defend,” Smith told Daily Maverick. “I was there to co-create and unite around the sport as opposed to pitting it against elite nations [and] developing nations.”

The podcasters argued that skiing should expand primarily in countries with an established “market for skiing” and demonstrable long-term value in building local communities around the sport.

However, the Olympics was built on the idea of global participation. Smith implored Vermeulen and Clugnet to look at it from that perspective: the idea of universality and the growth of the sport from the bottom up as well.

“The reality is, if we want this sport to grow and become bigger, we can’t be siloed into the northern hemisphere, specifically from born-and-raised skiers. We need to share the knowledge,” said Smith.

The ‘Snowbok’

If you spotted a beaming man not swimming or running but skiing on Cape Town’s beaches under the sweltering sun in December, chances are it was Matt C Smith.

Smith, dubbed the “Snowbok”, defied the odds and qualified for Milano Cortina 2026 – the Winter Olympics – intending to represent a country not known for its ethereal snow.

He said goodbye to South Africa in 2022 and moved to Oslo, Norway.

Upon his arrival, the now 35-year-old was greeted with the crisp, relentless cold of the Norwegian winter.

For a South African confronting a European winter, Smith often jokes, there are two choices: hibernate and become a couch potato, or “lean into it” and do what the Norwegians do – ski.

And that is what he did.

Despite a detailed sporting background as a cricketer, rugby player and triathlete, Smith still had to put in the work of vigorous training and countless sacrifices to qualify for the Winter Olympics.

And his qualification race was no stroll on the Sea Point Promenade. It was the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim and Smith had to finish within five minutes of the winner to qualify.

Early in the race he fell, and as he hit the snow his pole swung into the side of his “knife-edge” ski, chipping the edge.

“What I thought to myself in that moment was, this was never meant to be easy, was it?”

After using a downhill to gather his thoughts and borrowing a pole from a stranger, Smith managed to qualify four minutes behind the winner.

“When I finished the race, I was at peace,” he said. “I was like, what a two-year journey, huh?

“At least I can say for the rest of my life, I gave absolutely everything.”

Milano Cortina 2026

Ask Smith about a typical training day and he hesitates. His routine shifts every few days around recovery and racing demands, but it usually means hours on skis, threshold-pushing intervals, strength work, strategic naps and an early bedtime.

With two weeks left until the start of the Games, Smith is confident he has done what he needs to do.

“I’ve still got some key training sessions and two more races… but the work is done,” he said.

Aside from a focus on physical preparedness, Smith is also a huge advocate for mental preparation in the form of visualisation and mindfulness.

“You’ve also got to prep yourself for the environment,” he said.

“How can I think about, visualise, prepare for the day, the race itself, the course... Like, how am I going to take this corner?

“My goal for the Olympics and every athlete’s goal should be to arrive on the day of the race, to be the happiest, healthiest and best version of yourself, ready to race the best race of your life.”

The Winter Olympics takes place from 6 to 22 February and Smith’s first race is on Friday, 13 February. DM

Annemieke Thomaidis is a freelance writer, broadcaster and journalist.

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.