The Maracana – Caster Semenya, South Africa’s newest Olympic champion, led the team out for the Closing Ceremony in Rio last night, and she did so with a huge smile, giving Team South Africa a fitting, final image to take home from Rio.
Semenya, fresh from winning the women’s 800m title on Saturday night, fittingly took over the flagbearer duties from fellow Olympic champion, Wayde van Niekerk who flew out of Rio on Saturday.
The golden duo, as well as Team South Africa’s outstanding group of medal triumphs from the Olympic Games, which concluded in style yesterday.
South Africa’s haul of ten medals was right on the mark set by SASCOC, and they will look ahead to a Tokyo 2020 Games that may yet have even more medals, if the planning starts in earnest.
“We want to take our best team to the Games, at their very best,” an optimistic Gideon Sam said, looking ahead to the future.
“To do that we need a system that brings them all together months before, and makes sure that we are all on the same page. We have so much talent in South Africa. Like boxing, for example. How do we not bring a team here? I’ve seen the guys who fight out in Boksburg. Those men ‘donder’ each other!
“But we need to find a way to get them into the right structures, and five ourselves the best chance to have even more amazing medal hauls.”
Sam's fighting talk, as well as the fact that several of the medallists from Rio will return for Tokyo, means Team South Africa could set even loftier targets in four years' time.
For now, of course, South Africa will richly celebrate what they have brought back from a Rio Games that was initially met with trepidation from some corners, but has proved to be a triumph in its own, distinctly flavoured way.
There was a massive, collective groan when IOC president Thomas Bach officially declared the Games over at an emotional Maracana Stadium. The party is finally over, and Rio will never be forgotten.
Tokyo 2020 is now on the horizon, and Semenya and company will be expected to start the long road towards defending their crowns. - Independent Media