The first official team announcement saw 39 athletes confirmed as part of the South African team that will represent the country at the Olympic Games in Paris from 26 July to 11 August.
Two more team announcements will take place in the coming months as the final Olympic team takes shape.
Also announced by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC) on Wednesday were the incentives for medal winners at the Games with gold medallists promised a bonus of R400 000 (with an additional R100 000 for the coaches), R200 000 for silver medallists (with R50k for coaches) and R75 000 for bronze medals (R25k for coaches).
Among those announced at SASCOC’s headquarters in Johannesburg on Wednesday was Tatjana Smith, who was the country’s most successful athlete at the last Games in Tokyo.
🌟 Team Announcement! 🌟 #TeamSA has unveiled its 1st squad for #Paris2024, along with exciting financial incentives! 🥇 See who’s representing 🇿🇦 and how we're backing their Olympic journey! 🚀 Read all about it 👉 https://t.co/jFiB6Et3wi #ForMyCountry pic.twitter.com/VMsZwvT9mZ
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
Smith will be looking to defend the 200m breaststroke title she won in world record time three years ago while also looking to claim another medal in the 100m breaststroke, the event in which she bagged silver in Tokyo.
“It’s definitely nice to know it’s official,” she said after the announcement.
“This is my second time going but it doesn’t make it any less exciting than the first time so I’m very excited.
“I think Paris is going to be exciting. My parents will be there and my husband so it will be completely different [to Tokyo].
“I’m feeling very motivated because you know you’re so close to the end – as in Paris, the thing that you’ve been working towards for so long. That definitely keeps you encouraged because you know there’s only about nine weeks left so that helps a lot.”
IN THE MEDAL MIX
Joining Smith on the swimming team are the likes of Pieter Coetzé, who was the only South African swimmer to reach the podium at the last World Aquatics Championships, claiming bronze in the 200m backstroke in Doha earlier this year.
Others on the swimming team include 2012 Olympic champion Chad le Clos, Olympic finalist Kaylene Corbett, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Erin Gallagher, Matt Sates, Rebecca Meder and Aimee Canny while Julia Vincent will compete in diving at her third Olympic Games.
Also among those announced as part of the team on Wednesday was Esti Olivier who missed out on qualification for both Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
She’ll be teaming up with Tiffany Koch in women’s sprint canoeing.
“It’s getting real now, the excitement – singing the national anthem gave me a few chills. So it’s definitely sinking in now that it’s actually happening,” she said.
“I’m very confident that the time we have left is going to be great… so it’s just about sharpening the blade now.”
Other sports codes that announced their teams on Wednesday were athletics, where Akani Simbine will once again be in the medal mix, gymnastics, sport climbing, surfing and wrestling.
STILL TIME TO QUALIFY
More names are expected to be added to the athletics team, with the period in which athletes can qualify still open.
Swimmers also still have until 23 June to qualify.
The President of SASCOC, Barry Hendricks, congratulated all the athletes who have qualified and have been selected to represent Team SA saying: “The Olympics are the pinnacle of any elite athlete’s career and selection should be celebrated as such.
“It’s exciting, and a compliment to the quality that exists within South Africa, that we are able to announce a squad across numerous sports that is bursting with talent, achievers, and potential.
“These young men and women will be ambassadors for South Africa, and there’s so much more to being an Olympian than merely representing on the field of play. I want to congratulate each and every athlete selected and wish them well in their preparations for Paris.”
AQUATICS (9)
Men: Pieter Coetzé (100m, 200m backstroke), Chad le Clos (100m butterfly), Matthew Sates (100m, 200m butterfly and 200m IM)
Women: Aimee Canny (200m freestyle), Kaylene Corbett (200m breaststroke), Erin Gallagher (100m butterfly), Rebecca Meder (200m IM), Tatjana Smith (100m, 200m breaststroke), Julia Vincent (diving, 3m springboard)
Meet #TeamSA's aquatic aces! 🏊♂️💦 Ready to make a splash in Paris! 🌍🏅 #Paris2024 #ForMyCountry pic.twitter.com/HKu5BaCYrI
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
ATHLETICS (17)
Men: Luxolo Adams (200m), Stephen Mokoka (marathon), Zakhiti Nene (400m), Lythe Pillay (400m), Benjamin Richardson (200m), Akani Simbine (100m), Tshepo Tshite (1500m), Wayde van Niekerk (400m), Jovan van Vuuren (long jump), Adriaan Wildschutt (5000m, 10000m).
Women: Marione Fourie (100mH), Zeney Geldenhuys (400mH), Rogail Joseph (400mH), Cian Oldknow (marathon), Prudence Sekgodiso (800m), Gerda Steyn (marathon), Irvette van Zyl (marathon)
🏃♂️ Sprinting ahead! Team SA's track stars are set to light up the stadium at #Paris2024 with their speed and stamina. 🌟 Let's rally behind them as they race for gold and glory! 🇿🇦🔥 #TeamSA pic.twitter.com/RcygprAFlX
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
CANOEING (4)
Men: Andrew Birkett (kayak sprint), Hamish Lovemore (kayak sprint)
Women: Tiffany Koch (kayak sprint), Esti Olivier (kayak sprint)
Management: Nkosi Mzolo (coach), Janet Simpkins (manager)
Strength, speed, and strokes! Our canoeing team is Paris-bound! 🛶💪 #TeamSA #Paris2024 #ForMyCountry pic.twitter.com/hbJ4wXdZDp
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
GYMNASTICS (1)
Women: Caitlin Rooskrantz (artistic)
Management: Ilse Pelser (coach)
Congratulations to Caitlin Rooskrantz as she flips and flies towards #Paris2024! 🤸♀️✨ #ForMyCountry#TeamSA pic.twitter.com/sDSJJ0AmLN
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
SPORT CLIMBING (4)
Men: Joshua Bruyns (speed climbing), Mel Janse van Rensburg (lead & boulder)
Women: Aniya Holder (speed climbing), Lauren Mukheiber (lead & boulder)
Management: Dean Bruyns (manager), John-David Muller (official coach)
Climbing to the top! Shout out to #TeamSA's climbers as they prepare to conquer Paris! 🧗♀️🏆#ForMyCountry#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/sAapyu542Y
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
SURFING (3)
Men: Matthew McGillivray, Jordy Smith
Women: Sarah Ann Baum
Management: Christopher Bond (coach), Rezar De Nicker (coach, manager)
Catch the wave with #TeamSA's surf squad! 🏄♂️🌊#ForMyCountry#TeamSA pic.twitter.com/3jx0VFiR86
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024
WRESTLING (1)
Men: Steyn de Lange (92kg), Marias Hattingh (training partner, 79kg)
Management: Jan Roets (coach)
Ready to wrestle his way to victory, let's congratulate Steyn on being selected to represent #TeamSA!#ForMyCountry pic.twitter.com/HYFEZLyHH8
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) May 15, 2024