‘This moment belongs to the players,’ says coach of Blitzboks’ bronze medal win

Blitzboks coach Philip Snyman says his players deserve all the credit following their winning of South Africa’s first bronze medal of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Saturday.

The SA Sevens team beat Australia 26-19 in a thrilling bronze medal match to end their season on a high.

The Blitzboks entered the Olympic tournament as the final qualifier, winning the repechage tournament in Monaco less than a month ago after earlier falling to qualify automatically and also losing out during the Africa tournament qualification event.

And, they also didn’t do too well in Paris, losing to Ireland and New Zealand in pool play. They scraped into the quarter-finals thanks to a big win against Japan in their final pool game and then shocked New Zealand in the quarters before going down to eventual champions, France, in the semi-finals.

‘Deserved’

“We have a great management, and this win was also for those back in South Africa, but the moment belongs to the players. I am so proud of them and what they achieved here today,” said Snyman late Saturday.

“We had our ups and downs, especially on the first day (of the tournament), but the way the team came back on the next two competition days made me so proud.

“We had our lapses and could have been in the final, but all that matters will be the bronze medals they earned. It is so deserved to a group of guys who never stopped working and playing for their country.

“We were gutted after the France defeat, but the players showed huge courage to come out and fight for that bronze medal against Australia. I am so proud of them, as I am sure South Africa will be for their first medal at the Paris Games.”

Snyman was a member of the Blitzboks team that also won bronze the first time Sevens was held at the Olympics, in Rio in 2016. Another man who was part of that team and featured in the victory on Paris this weekend is veteran Rosko Specman.

‘Down and out’

“What a journey it has been for me, to earn two medals eight years apart – that is special,” said Specman.

“But even more special is the journey we had to get to this point. From the dark moments in Harare, where we missed out on qualification, to Monaco, where we used our final chance.

“We may have been the last team in, but we are bronze medallists. Well done to the coaches and management who got this group to believe it is possible. And on a personal note, I would like to thank God who gave me this chance to earn a second medal in the Olympics.”

Team captain Selvyn Davids said he was proud of his players. “We had to come such a long way, and needed to qualify through the repechage tournament just to get to Paris, and we were the last team in.

“We were almost down and out earlier in the year, but what a comeback and what a fight by this group. It is so satisfying to see us playing to our potential and be proud Olympic medallists.

“We are proud of this medal and achievement and to know that we have done our system justice and hopefully gave South Africa something to smile about is really a great feeling,” added Davids.