South Africa's winter Olympians

Tyler Botha (25) was one of only three South Africans in this year’s Winter Olympics in Turin. The former St Andrew’s College pupil competed in the bob skeleton event, which combines aspects of tobogganing and bobsledding. Tyler discovered the sport while working for the St Moritz Tobogganing Club in Switzerland during his gap year in 1998. One of his tutors was Clifton Wrottesley who represented Ireland in the bob skeleton event at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. Tyler finished 21st overall in his first Olympics. He practised at the Eastern Cape’s Tiffendell Ski Resort before leaving for Switzerland in November to train. The costs are high and only his footwear is sponsored at the moment. Tyler studied sound engineering while living in London, and enjoys deejaying. He is currently studying art direction at Vega School of Advertising in Cape Town. The other two South Africans at the Turin Winter Olympics were Alex Heath, competing in alpine ski-ing, and cross-country skier Oliver Kroaas.