David Bruce Warner (born 5 June 1971, in

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...

) is a South African

alpine skier Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...

. He is the only person ever to have represented

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

at the

Winter Paralympic Games The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow and ice sports. The event includes athletes with mobility impairments, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. ...

, and he is one of only two Africans (along with Ugandan Tofiri Kibuuka) to have competed at the Games to date. Warner lost a leg in a car crash in 1988. Having previously intended to make a career in

hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

, he subsequently embarked on a career in skiing. In addition to the Paralympic Games, he has competed in events such as the Disabled World Championships. He is an

electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

by profession.

Paralympic career

1998

South Africa made its Paralympic Games début at the

1998 Winter Paralympics The , the seventh Paralympic Winter Games, were held alongside the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from 5 to 14 March 1998. They were the first Paralympic Winter Games to be held outside Europe. 571 athletes competed in Nagano; as 2022 it remain ...

Nagano Nagano may refer to: Places * Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan ** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture *** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics *** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano *** Nagano Universi ...

, Japan. Warner was his country's sole representative. He entered four events, all in

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...

, in the LW2 category. * In the Men's downhill, he finished 25th (out of 30), with a calculated time of 1:19.25. * In the Men's giant slalom, he finished 19th (out of 37), with a calculated time of 3:08.90. Only 21 competitors out of 37, however, successfully completed the event. * In the Men's slalom, he finished 20th (out of 38), with a calculated time of 2:21.57. Only 25 competitors reached the finish line. * In the Men's super-G, he finished 21st (out of 34), with a calculated time of 1:25.61. 26 competitors reached the finish line.

2002

Warner was, for the second time, his country's sole representative. He entered the same four events. * In the Men's downhill, he finished 15th (out of 21), with a calculated time of 1:32.30. * In the Men's giant slalom, he failed to finish. * In the Men's slalom, he finished 9th (out of 27), with a calculated time of 1:40.29. * In the Men's super-G, he finished 12th (out of 23), with a calculated time of 1:23.17.

2006

Warner was, for the third time, his country's sole representative. He entered the same four events, in the standing category. * In the Men's downhill, he finished 36th (out of 49), with a calculated time of 1:31.18. * In the Men's giant slalom, he finished 45th (out of 66), with a calculated time of 2:19.39. * In the Men's slalom, he finished 27th (out of 64), with a calculated time of 1:33.29. * In the Men's super-G, he finished 38th (out of 55), with a calculated time of 1:18.33.

2010

Warner was, once again, his country's only representative at the

2010 Winter Paralympics ) , nations = 44 , athletes = 506 , events = 64 in 5 sports , opening = 12 March , closing = 21 March , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Zach Beaumont , stadium = BC Place , winter_pr ...

in Vancouver."SA names Olympic team"
''Times Live'', 13 January 2010

References