Most South Africans spent Olympic Day on Monday shivering, just two days after the southern hemisphere winter solstice, but on the opposite side of the world Matt C Smith, their new Winter Olympics representative, was just chilling.
In February, Smith became the first South African to qualify for 2026’s Games in Cortina, Italy — in the cross-country skiing discipline.
It’s the height of the northern hemisphere summer right now. “As luck would have it Mondays are my rest day,” said Smith from his Oslo, Norway, base this week.
“I normally spend my off-days in winter ice-bathing and in the sauna and this Olympic Day I was also in a sauna near the Oslo Opera House but alternating between sauna and ocean.”
He also used his off day towards the cause. “I also did some work in the beautiful Deichman library, trying to educate people about Olympism.”
Since qualifying for the Winter Olympics the 34-year-old has been productive in more ways than one.
“After qualifying in Trondheim in February I took a short break before getting back into training. A very exciting highlight was the birth of my son, Jon-Michael [named after my late dad and my Norwegian fiancée Cecilie’s dad] and coincidentally on May 17, which is Norway’s National Constitution Day so it’s another fitting part of my Norwegian journey.”
Speaking with a distinctive British accent, Norway is his third nation of residence after being born in Johannesburg but spending “a large part of my adolescence in the UK”.
A venture capitalist in his early years, and founder of start-up companies in the tech space, life on the work/sport front ... the sporting spotlight has morphed into an adventure.
I’ve become known as the ‘skifluencer’ and have kind of added one of the most significant impacts in the industry, largely because I’ve just brought a lighthearted side to the sport.
“It’s funny, but ever since I started making waves in XC skiing in the run-up to my qualification I’ve been fortunate enough to get so much more media and people buying into both my and SA’s story.
“I’ve become known as the ‘skifluencer’ and have kind of added one of the most significant impacts in the industry, largely because I’ve just brought a lighthearted side to the sport.”
He’s a stickler to his three core values to educate, inform and inspire. “So largely through my videos on social media I’ve educated those inside and out of the sport and the entertainment value is just through my character [behind the scenes videos], and interviews which the industry has never done before.”
The big players have taken notice and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has featured him three times while the FIS (International Ski & Snowboard Federation) has also been in touch.
“Who knew that it would take an SA cross country skier to reinvent, reignite and reinvigorate the industry and a sport which is actually declining ... even the Norwegian Ski Federation has reached out to me to help ‘make XC skiing great again’.”
He says that cross-country skiing has somewhat unfairly been termed a “boring sport, and everyone knows that the Norwegians win everything”.
“I’m investing my time and money to change that way of thinking and my next aim is to try to tie what I’m dong to a charity, preferably back home in SA which uses sport to educate and provide opportunities to kids — and I just want to use my journey for good and promote the values of sport.”
An interesting aside is that though there’s always been a long established sporting rivalry between SA and Australia, Smith is working on a collaboration.
“I’ve recently hired an intern to work with me, an Australian Winter Olympian, Seve de Campo, who’ll help with content and creation.”
Smith has the fastest growing media presence in the world of XC skiing which is remarkable for a lone South African among established winter sports persona such as the Italians and Norwegians.
Smith has qualified for just one of the four Winter Olympic cross-country events, the 10km skate race.
“Obviously there aren’t enough South Africans to get into the relay events but my next goal is to qualify for the sprint race and potentially make the World Cup next year.”
“Look, I started from scratch two-and-a-half years ago so am under no illusion. The majority of my rivals have been doing it since they were two years old — but I’d like to beat my Mexican training partner, Alan, and also be the first ‘small nation’ athlete. Just put on a good show and be the most recognised, cheered-for and loved person and bring some SA rainbow nation flavour.
‘Cross country with obstacles’
How does he describe cross-country skiing to South Africans?
“Cross country is a bit like doing a 10km run but with obstacles. I’d say it’s pretty similar to riding a shopping trolley in a supermarket because you basically do everything on one leg.”
Training for something like his event sees him work in training blocks ... “over summer I’m averaging about 15 hours a week which increases to 20 hours in a volume block and then 25 to 30 hours in season.”
Strange as it may seem, Smith says despite the obvious differences South African and Norwegian sporting cultures are very “akin”.
“South Africans are outdoor people, tough and hardened by climates, Norwegians are similar though South Africans are a lot more social, possibly because of the sunshine factor, while Norwegians grow up separated by all the fiords but if you look at sports like triathlon and athletics, both nations are excelling.”
Entirely self-funded from his previous business ventures and now also a sought-after speaker on the worldwide tech-business circuit, Smith will be hoping it’s his skiing prowess in Cortina that will shine a light all the way back to future generations of South Africans.
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