USA's Carissa Moore(C) Gold medalist, South Africa's Bianca Buitendag(L) Siver medalist and Japan's Amuro Tsuzuki celebrate on the podium at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Chiba, on July 27, 2021 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo by Olivier MORIN / various sources / AFP)
The past does seem like a different country considering it was just over 11 years ago when we were delirious with joy at the wondrous boot of Bafana Bafana striker Siphiwe Tshabalala scoring the first goal of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
We didn’t go on to win the tournament we hosted but it was sport which lifted our spirits as a nation, much as the first Rugby World Cup win did in 1995 and the most recent did in 2019.
This week, the performances of Team SA at the Tokyo Olympics have been a mirror of our country – up one moment, down the next.
The silver medals earned in the pool by Tatjana Schoenmaker and on the waves by surfer Bianca Buitendag showed that our country can still compete at the highest levels in sport.
Whether or not those medals translate into success in the future and whether the two women will become role models for our future champions, is down to the support which is given not only their sports, but to all sports, especially in disadvantaged areas.
How many other medal winners are out there, just waiting for encouragement? All of us, from government to civil society, need to support those sporting dreams.
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