Small SA team aim high at Commonwealth Youth Games

A 24-member national team has been announced for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, Bahamas next month.

The young squad would compete in six of the nine codes on show at the five-day showpiece starting on July 19, the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) revealed in a statement on Tuesday.

The athletics and swimming contingents would make up two thirds of the squad, with eight team members contesting each of those codes.

While he admitted it was a small team, Sascoc chief executive Tubby Reddy was confident the group was strong enough to challenge the leading medal contenders again.

South Africa finished second at the 2015 edition of the age group spectacle in Apia, Samoa with 13 gold, seven silver and 15 bronze medals.

The national team have never finished outside the top four at the five previous editions of the multi-sport showpiece for Under-18 athletes.

“Though we are sending a lean team we believe it is a strong team who have all met the competitive selection criteria and will do the nation proud,” Reddy said.

“Previously Team SA has performed exceptionally at these games and we therefore hope that the same or even better results will be achieved. “The Commonwealth Youth Games remain an integral event for us as future stars and Olympians rise from events of such a nature.”

SA team:

Aquatics

Boys: Michael Houlie, Jarryd Baxter, Jack Oliver, Luan Grobbelaar

Girls: Rebecca Meder, Hanim Abrahams, Dune Coetzee, Mariella Venter

Athletics

Boys: Luke Davids, Jayson Weber, Lindukuhle Gora, Adam Mayo

Girls: Caroline Mosime, Marli Viljoen, Keletso Senosi, Antoinette van der Merwe

Beach volleyball

Boys: Lukholo Jooste and Aviwe Mamfanya

Boxing

Boys: Sinovuyo Mtintelwa

Girls: Amorie Gonsalves

Judo

Girls: Marli Meiring

Boys: Mosa Thetsane

Tennis

Boys: Siphosothando Montsi

Girls: Minette van Vreden

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