‘Too much emphasis on medals’ – Team SA’s Scott

Dom Scott will be leaving Tokyo concerned that South Africans don’t fully appreciate just how hard it is to qualify for the Olympic Games.

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The US-based distance star, who has been tipped to challenge Elana Meyer’s 27-year-old national 10,000m record, finished 20th in Saturday’s final, some way off that mark and her own personal best, in 32:14.05. But there’s plenty of time for that and, having qualified for her second Olympics – this time in both the 5000 and 10,000m, Scott can be justifiably proud.

“You prepare as well as you can and then you hope that on the day and in the week you’re going to be the best version of yourself, but that very seldom happens and most people leave the Olympics disappointed and heartbroken. I fought but my best wasn’t very good today. So I’m definitely disappointed with that,” she said after the race in which Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan powered to a second gold medal after also taking victory in the 5000m and bronze in the 1500m.

Much has been made of the SA athletics team not managing to deliver a medal at these Games – the first time that has happened at an Olympics since readmission in 1992 when Meyer claimed her 10,000m silver. But Scott believes perspectives need to change.

“I felt like heading into Rio and again heading into Tokyo, there’s a big emphasis on medals surrounding the team which is obviously great – it’s the ultimate goal of all athletes to stand on the podium at the Olympic Games, but I think that it’s a little short-sighted to only focus on medals. At the end of the day only one person can win gold and three can medal out of the whole world so I feel like if as a country we do a better job of supporting athletes in their own pursuit and their own journeys, whether that’s running a personal best or placing higher than they have ever before, I think that would go a long way,” she said.

“I think it would also show the youth that all athletes are supported and not only the favourites because it is incredibly hard to qualify for the Olympics. I think there are some other countries that do a really good job of recognising that and appreciating that. I feel like South Africa doesn’t do that.

“There were only 29 women in the world to qualify for the 10,000m at the Olympic Games and I came 20th today. That’s not as well as I wanted to do but at the end of the day to be one of 29 women in the world to run that time [to qualify] is pretty cool. Sometimes I feel like South Africa doesn’t quite recognise that achievement.

Earlier in the day, Gerda Steyn’s 15th place in the women’s marathon was another achievement to celebrate. Competing at her first Olympic Games, the 31-year-old Comrades winner finished in 2:32.10 with Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir taking the gold in 2:27.20, Brigid Kosgei the silver and American Molly Seidel the bronze.