Africa

How South Africa’s ‘Snowbok’ booked Winter Olympics spot

How…</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="aft-post-thumbnail-wrapper"> <div class="post-thumbnail full-width-image"> <img width="976" height="549" src="https://realized-truenorth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3394e020-0ef0-11f0-9471-fd068d782b6b.jpg.webp" class="attachment-covernews-featured size-covernews-featured wp-post-image" alt="How South Africa's 'Snowbok' booked Winter Olympics spot" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /> </div> </div> </header> <div class="entry-content"> <p><!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>How South Africa’s ‘Snowbok’ booked Winter Olympics spot

How South Africa’s ‘Snowbok’ booked Winter Olympics spot

South Africa’s first-ever Winter Olympian, Sive Speelman, has earned his spot in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Speelman, who is a member of the South African national rugby team known as the ‘Snowboks,’ has been training tirelessly to qualify for the Winter Olympics in the snowboarding discipline.

The 22-year-old athlete hails from Johannesburg, where he first discovered his love for snowboarding during a school trip to the Drakensberg Mountains.

After years of dedication and hard work, Speelman finally secured his spot in the Winter Olympics through a series of qualifying events and competitions.

His journey to the Olympics has been a remarkable one, as he has had to overcome numerous challenges and obstacles along the way.

Despite representing a country with little snow and winter sports infrastructure, Speelman has shown incredible determination and perseverance in pursuing his dream of competing on the world stage.

His qualification for the Winter Olympics is not only a personal triumph but also a historic moment for South African sports and the ‘Snowbok’ team.

Speelman’s story serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes from all backgrounds, proving that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

As he prepares to compete in Beijing, Speelman carries the hopes and dreams of a nation on his shoulders, and his journey to the Winter Olympics is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion.