Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Nearly 150 athletes competing for Team South Africa
It’s time for South African fans to get comfy on the couch and back the country’s best athletes while they strive to achieve their Olympic dreams.
Excitement is in the air with nearly 150 athletes representing South Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from today until August 11.
When it comes to bringing home Olympic medals, here are two of the athletes you can look out for:
Men’s 100m: Akani Simbine
Simbine (30) finished just off the world lead en route to victory in the men’s 100m at the Oslo Diamond League stop. His season best of 9:94 was just shy of Christian Miller’s 9:93, helping him to victory on May 30 in a loaded men’s field that featured reigning Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.
He also plays a key role in the men’s 4x100m relay, and will be leading South Africa as a flagbearer.
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Swimming: Tatjana Smith
Tatjana Smith (Schoenmaker) set not one but two Olympic records at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
She set her first Olympic record in the 100m semi-final, with a time of 1:04.82, and a new world record in the women’s 200m breaststroke final to win gold, clocking 2:18.95.
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Team South Africa
Team SA is being represented in 19 different codes by 138 athletes, with a few changes from the two previous announcements made by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. The squad also has nine reserves for several codes.
Final additions to the squad have been made and the names of those added have an asterisk (*) next to them.
The final squad of 138 athletes and 19 codes is:
Aquatics
Men: Pieter Coetze (100m, 200m backstroke), Chad le Clos (100m butterfly), Matthew Sates (100m, 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley).
Women: Aimee Canny (200m freestyle), Kaylene Corbett (200m breaststroke), Erin Gallagher (100m butterfly), Rebecca Meder (200m individual medley), Tatjana Smith (100m, 200m breaststroke), Julia Vincent (diving, 3m springboard).
Management: Rocco Meiring, Chanelle van Wyk, Dean Price, Mafata Modutoane.
Archery
Men: Wian Roux (recurve).
Coach/manager: Patrick Roux.
Athletics
Men: *Kyle Blignaut (shot put), *Edmund du Plessis (800m), Elroy Galant (marathon), *Victor Hogan (discus), Gardeo Isaacs (4x400m), *Cheswill Johnson (long jump), Shaun Maswangani (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Stephen Mokoka (marathon), *Ryan Mphalele (1500m), Zakithi Nene (400m, 4x400m), Bradley Nkoana (4x100m), Antonie Nortje (4x400m), Lythe Pillay (400m, 4x400m), Francois Prinsloo (discus), *Brian Raats (high jump), Benjamin Richardson (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Akani Simbine (100m, 4x100m), Adrian Swart (4x400m), Tshepo Tshite (1500m), Wayde van Niekerk (200m), Jovan van Vuuren (long jump), Bayanda Walaza (4x100m), Adriaan Wildschutt (5000m, 10 000m).
Reserve: Sineseipho Dambile (4x100m).
Women: *Miranda Coetzee (400m), *Mine de Klerk (shot put), Ashley Erasmus (shot put), Marione Fourie (100m H), Zeney Geldenhuys (400m H), Rogail Joseph (400m H), Cian Oldknow (marathon), Prudence Sekgodiso (800m), Gerda Steyn (marathon), *Jo-Ane van Dyk (javelin), Irvette van Zyl (marathon).
Management: Jean Verster, Hezekiel Sepeng, Paul Gorries, Maritza Coetzee, Samuel Sepeng, Mike Mbambani, John Smit, Neil Cornelius.
Badminton
Women: Johanita Scholtz.
Coach/manager: Dillan Schaap.
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Canoeing
Men: Andrew Birkett (kayak sprint), Hamish Lovemore (kayak sprint).
Women: Tiffany Koch (kayak sprint), Esti Olivier (kayak sprint).
Management: Nkosi Mzolo (coach), Janet Simpkins (manager).
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Cycling
Men: Ryan Gibbons (road), Jean Spies (track), Alan Hatherley (MTB), *Vincent Leygonie (BMX).
Women: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (road), Tiffany Keep (road), Candice Lill (MTB), Miyanda Maseti (BMX).
Management: Ciska du Plessis-Austin, Nicole Shuttleworth, Benedict Moqumo, Barry Austin, *Jean-Pierre Jacobs, Tyler Klumper, Brigitte Mileson, Ryan van der Spuy.
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Equestrian
Men: Alexander Peternell (eventing).
Management: Ingeborg Sanne (manager), Elinor Capostagno (groom).
Fencing
Men: Harry Saner (épée).
Management: Guennadi Tychler.
Golf
Men: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Erik van Rooyen.
Women: Ashleigh Buhai, Paula Reto.
Caddies: Alex Gaugert, Jacques Nel, Tanya Paterson, Jeremy Sharpe.
Management: Dornay Lombard.
Gymnastics
Women: Caitlin Rooskrantz (artistic).
Coach/manager: Ilse Pelser (coach).
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Hockey
Men: Daniel Bell, Dayaan Cassiem, Mustapha Cassiem, Calvin Davis, Matthew Guise-Brown, Andrew Hobson, Keenan Horne, Gowan Jones, Ryan Julius, Tevin Kok, Zenani Kraai, Samkelo Mvimbi, Nqobile Ntuli, Bradley Sherwood, Nicholas Spooner, Jacques van Tonder.
Reserves: Hendrik Kriek, Nduduza (Peabo) Lembethe.
Management: Donavin George, Cheslin Chie, Siphesihle Ntuli, Devon van der Merwe.
Women: Taheera Augousti, Quanita Bobbs, Stephanie Botha, Dirkie Chamberlain, Erin Christie, Kayla de Waal, Paris-Gail Isaacs, Marie Antoinette Louw, Ongeziwe Mali, Ntsopa Mokoena, Edith Molikoe, Kristen Paton, Hannah Pearce, Celia Seerane, Anelle van Deventer, Onthatile Zulu.
Reserves: Aphiwe Dimba, Kayla Swarts.
Management: Lynn Abrahamse, Giles Bonnet, Marcelle Keet, Wayne Lombard.
Judo
Women: Geronay Whitebooi.
Manager/coach: William Matike Ndoumbe.
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Rowing
Men: John Smith (pair), Christopher Baxter (pair).
Coach/manager: Tiago Loureiro.
Women: Paige Badenhorst (single skull).
Coach/manager: Grant Dodds.
Rugby sevens
Men: Christoffel Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser, Zain Davids, Quewin Nortje, Tiaan Pretorius, Shaun Williams, Selvyn Davids, Tristan Leyds, Rosko Specman, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk.
Reserves: Katlego Letebele, Ronald Brown.
Management: Philip Snyman, Ghafoer Luckan, Marius Schoeman, Ashley Evert.
Women: Liske Lategan, Ayanda Malinga, Kemisetso Baloyi, Zintle Mpupha, Sizophila Solontsi, Mathrin Simmers, Nadine Roos, Elizabeth Janse van Rensburg, Veroeshka Grain, Marlize de Bruin, Maria Tshiremba, Byrhabdre Dolf.
Reserves: Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Shona-Leah Weston.
Management: Mokgatjane Leseke, Renfred Dazel, Cecil Afrika, Obakeng Molopyane.
Skateboarding
Men: Dallas Oberholzer (park), Brandon Valjalo (street).
Women: Boipelo Awuah (street).
Manager/coach: Wendy Gila.
Sport climbing
Men: Joshua Bruyns (speed climbing), Mel Janse van Rensburg (lead boulder).
Women: Aniya Holder (speed climbing), Lauren Mukheibir (lead boulder).
Management: Dean Bruyns (manager), John-David Muller (official coach).
Surfing
Men: Matthew McGillivray, Jordy Smith.
Women: Sarah Ann Baum.
Management: Christopher Bond (coach), Rezar De Nicker (coach, manager).
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Triathlon
Men: Henri Schoeman, Jamie Riddle.
Women: Vicky van der Merwe.
Management: Riana Robertson, Lindsey Parry.
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Wrestling
Men: Nicholaas de Lange (97kg).
Coach/manager: Jan Roets.
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