Shirene Human

Shirene Human was four-years-old when she began skating at the Western Province Figure Skating Club in Cape Town, with her soon practicing several hours per week. With her natural talent, Human was started competing at a national level, winning the junior ladies event at the 1994 South Africa Championships. One year later she won her first of eight consecutive national senior titles. After finishing second in 2004, she won her ninth and final national title in 2005.

Human competed at multiple international junior events, placing 17th at the 1997 Grand Prix de St. Gervais and 11th at the 1998 Beijing International Junior Competition, as well as five editions of the World Junior Championships and six World Championships. From 1999 to 2005 she was also consistent at the Four Continents Championships, placing inside the top-20 each time. In 1998, when she was 18-years-old, Human competed in the singles competition at the Nagano Olympics, finishing 24th. She also had the honour of being the flagbearer for South Africa at the Opening Ceremony.

Human retired from figure skating in 2005 to start a career as an interior designer. Sadly, however, she was later diagnosed with breast cancer, dying from the disease in October 2025 at the age of 45.