South Africa’s Best Hopes for 2024 Olympic Success Lie in the Pool and on the Track
Several South Africans will enter the 2024 edition of the Olympics on the back of injuries, but Mzansi fans can still expect several stars to compete for silverware.
Wayde van Niekerk, Tatjana Smith (formerly Smith), Chad le Clos and Henri Schoeman are recovering from injuries but are still big names in their respective sporting codes.
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Athletes chasing medals on the track
After impressing at Diamond League meetings this year, Prudence Sekgodiso is somebody to look out for in the female 800m event, while Akani Simbine is a contender in the men's 100m.
400m world record holder Van Niekerk will not take part in his specialised event to focus on the 200m and relay races, where he will seek redemption after suffering from injuries.
Triathlete Schoeman is another man looking to bounce back from injury but won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and was a bronze medalist at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Mzansi hopefuls chase gold in the water
In the pool, Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) is looking to defend her Tokyo gold in the 200m breaststroke and is the world's third-fastest woman heading into the 100m event.
Promising 20-year-old backstroker is looking to make a splash after winning gold, silver and bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, while Chad le Clos cannot be counted out.
Le Clos is South Africa's most decorated Olympian with four medals and will compete in his fourth Olympic event by participating in the men's 100m butterfly.
Surfers Bianca Buitendag, Jordy Smith, Matt McGillivray, and Sarah Baum have become household names in the wave-riding community, which could lead to Olympic success.
Olympic medals can be found all over Paris
The Blitzboks hope to get on the podium in the Sevens tournament after winning bronze at the Rio event in 2016, while they have entered as underdogs.
Rower John Smith is another contender after securing entrance to his fourth Olympics, while mountain bikers Alan Hatherly and Candice Lill could succeed in Paris.
South Africa's history at the Olympics
While South Africa has participated in every Olympic event since its re-admission in 1996, the earliest Mzansi athletes can be traced back to 1904.
Since the event's early days, South Africa has amassed 89 medals, including 27 Olympic golds.
Historically, South Africa's most frequent sources of medals are athletics (28 medals), swimming (20), and boxing (19).
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Source: Briefly News
