Rio De Janeiro – Team South Africa will reflect on a job well done when they look back on Rio 2016. Having come in with genuine optimism, they return home with two Olympic champions, a rash of silver medals, and a happy duo of bronze.
What is more, Team South Africa has provided the world and its people back home with a riveting series of narratives, representing the nation with pride and passion. There were also several, most pleasant surprises, which only added to the magic of it all.
All over the metropolis of Rio, South Africans found themselves a precious patch that they could forever call their own, their mark indelibly left in the Olympic Pool in Barra de Tijuca, across the Lagoa de Freitas stretch of flatwater, deep in military land, on the rugby fields of Deodoro, on the famous Copacabana and, of course, on the ultimate field of dreams, the Stadio Olimpico in downtown Rio.
That the medals were spread across an array of individuals all going through personal circumstances made their victories even sweeter. There is no such thing as an easy Olympic medal, and each and every one took everything to acquire.
Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya provided headlines with their victories. Semenya, who was the subject of much intrigue in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, let her feet do most of the talking, as she cantered to a dominant victory in the 800m.
There had been speculation that Semenya had extra security for the final, but those reports were way off the mark. To emphasise the point that she could look after herself, Semenya even cut a reporter’s line of question short in the medallists’ press conference, reminding him that she and her fellow competitors were up there to talk about their performance, and nothing else.
Van Niekerk, of course, broke the untouchable 400m world record of the legendary Michael Johnson, and immediately put himself on a path to superstar status, with the world of athletics looking to fill the void that Usain Bolt will soon leave.
Bolt himself has already given South Africa’s ‘dreamer’ his approval. Even the greatest sprinter of all time stood in disbelief when he saw Van Niekerk dip below Johnson’s 17-year old record. Van Niekerk and his coach, the now world-famous Tannie Ans Botha, insist that there is still much more to come from them, and the world will wait with bated breath.
There is also infinitely more to come from Luvo Manyonga, the long-jump silver medallist, who came within a precious centimetre of bringing gold back to the streets of Mbekweni, the township that almost saw its talent waste away. His 180 degree life turn, from drugs and desolation to the Olympic podium, is Hollywood territory, and at 25, he can chase that gold again in 2020.
Another incredible script was provided by Lawrence Brittain, who survived cancer in 2014, and was on the rowing podium with Shaun Keeling two years later. While they were the only rowers to medal, they were part of a squad that reached four other finals, and it was very nearly a medal glut for mastermind coach Roger Barrow’s efforts.
Sunette Viljoen was also close to that gold, but she finally got her hands on that elusive medal. Fittingly, she made a point of taking it up to The Redeemer, and give thanks for what has been a long road for her and those dear to her.
The Schoeman household also has something on the mantelpiece, after Henri roused himself from an untimely chest infection to earn bronze in the men’s triathlon. All those hours of dedication in Durban paid off for the lil guy with a huge heart, and he and teammate Richard Murray were not far away from making it a double medal haul for South Africa, as they well and truly justified triathlon being in the Games.
It seems like an age ago, but South Africa’s medal collection started in the pool, where Cameron van der Burgh bounced back from a tough few years to add a silver medal to his breast-stroke title from 2012. It took something special to beat him, too, in the form of Britain’s aquatic phenomenon, Adam Peaty.
Also in the pool, Chad le Clos found himself in the midst of a battle with the greatest swimmer in history, Michael Phelps, who returned to the Olympic stage just to set the record straight with Le Clos, who beat him in the 200m butterfly four years ago.
Phelps got his revenge, but Le Clos left Rio with two silver medals and, just as importantly, the American’s respect. He also has a burning ambition to get to Tokyo 2020 and swim his own race, Phelps-free.
Another South African side already eyeing 2020 was the Sevens Rugby side, who felt they let a nation down by only getting a bronze, after losing to Great Britain in a tense semi-final. The talent within Neil Powell’s squad was enough to go all the way, to what would have been a fitting finale with champions Fiji, but it wasn’t to be.
The Sevens side will be back to chase down gold in Tokyo, and so too will many of the South African stars from Rio 2016.
Four fresh years of dedication stands between them and yet more glory, but having just tasted the delirious fruits of their labour, they will happily kick on to do it all again.
Sascoc set the bar at 10 medals, and the team duly delivered. And how.– The Star