Friday 5 August marks the beginning of the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
For many athletes, competing at the Games is a dream, something only the elite will ever experience. Every four years ordinary men and women get a chance to prove they belong among the very best in the world.
Today, SASCOC announced the names of 137 South Africans who will represent their country on the global stage – and go up against athletes widely considered gods of their disciplines.
The Olympic Flame will blaze over 42 Olympic sport disciplines: 306 events over the course of 19 days of competition, which will yield 136 medals for women, 161 for men and 9 mixed medals.
In addition to the athletics list are athletes from other sports which include three team sports: Rugby sevens, the Banyana Banyana women’s football side and the Under-23 Men’s football team, badminton, equestrian, golf, judo, rowing and triathlon.
Here are our champions:
AQUATICS
Diving: Julia Vincent
Marathon swim: Michelle Weber, Chad Ho
Men
Chad le Clos, Jarred Crous, Dylan Bosch, Calvyn Justus, Cameron van der Burgh, Sebastien Rousseau, Michael Meyer, Christopher Reid, Matthew Meyer, Myles Brown, Bradley Tandy, Douglas Erasmus
Managers/Coaches: Shawn Adriaanse, Graham Hill, Dean Price, Cedric Finch, Igor Omeltchenko, William Sherritt, Alasdair Hatfield
ATHLETICS
Women (marathon): Irvette Van Zyl, Christine Kalmer, Lebo Phalula
Men (marathon): Lusapho April, Sibusiso Mzima, Lungile Gongqa
Women
Carina Horn, Alyssa Conley, Tsholofelo Thipe, Justine Palframan, Caster Semenya, Wenda Nel, Dominique Scott, Lynique Prinsloo, Sunette Viljoen, Anel Oosthuizen
Men
Akani Simbine, Henricho Bruintjies, Tlotliso Leotlela, Clarence Munyai, Anaso Jobodwana, Wayde van Niekerk, Jacob Rozani, Rynhardt van Rensburg, Elroy Gelant, Stephen Mokoka, Antonio Alkana, Lindsay Hanekom, Louis van Zyl, Le Roux Hamman, Ruswahl Samaai, Luvo Manyonga, Stefan Brits, Khotso Mokoena, Rocco van Rooyen, Willem Coertzen, Lebogang Shange, Wayne Snyman, Marc Mundell
Managers/Coaches: Irma Reyneke, Paul Gorries, Terseus Liebenberg, Maryna van Niekerk, Pieter Lourens and James Moloi
BADMINTON
Men
Jacob Maliekal
Manager/Coach: Chris Dedman
CANOEING
Women
Bridgitte Hartley
Manager/Coach: Craig Mustard
CYCLING
Women
An-Li Kachelhoffer, Ashleigh Moolman- Pasio
Men
Daryl Impey, Louis Meintjes, Kyle Dodd, Alan Hatherly, James Reid
Manager/Coach/Mechanics: Brett Coates, Jonnathan Chislett, Carl Pasio, Douglas Ryder, JP Jacobs, Gary Blem
EQUESTRIAN
Women
Tanya Seymour
Manager/Coach: Ingeborg Sanne
Groom: Kirsty Taylor
FOOTBALL
Women
Roxanne Barker, Amanda Dlamini, Andile Dlamini, Refiloe Jane, Bambanani Mbane, Mamello Makhabane, Stephanie Malherbe, Noko Matlou, Sanah Mollo, Robyn Moodaly, Linda Motlhalo, Octavia Nogwanya, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Lebohang Ramalepe, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Leandra Smeda, Janine Van Wyk, Nothando Vilakazi
Managers/Coaches: Barney Kujane, Vera Pauw, Desiree Ellis, Francis Chansa, Shilene Margaret Booysen
Men
Jody February, Itumeleng Khune, Ishmael Mngonyama, Rivaldo Coetzee, Abbubaker Mobara, Mothobi Mvala, Erick Mathoho, Tebogo Moerane, Tercious Malepe, Gift Motupa, Maphosa Modiba, Deolin Mekoa, Phumlani Ntshangase, Keagan Dolly, Tyroane Sandows, Lebogang Mothiba, Menzi Masuka, Tashreeq Morris
Managers/Coaches: Levy Ramajoe, Owen da Gama, Thabo Senong, Predikumar Bhaktawer, Simone Conley
GOLF
Women
Paula Reto, Ashleigh Simon
Men
Brandon Stone, Jaco van Zyl
Golf Caddies
Chris Simmons, Jason Reynolds, Deon Flowers, David Buhai
Manager/Coach: Gary Player
GYMNASTICS
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Ryan Patterson
Manager/Coach: Jonathan Okada
JUDO
Men
Zack Piontek
Manager/Coach: Nikola Filipov
ROWING
Women
Kirsten McCann, Kate Christowitz, Ursula Grobler, Lee-Ann Persse
Men
James Thompson, John Smith, Shaun Keeling, Lawrence Brittain, Jake Green, David Hunt, Vincent Breet, Jonathan Smith
Manager/Coach: Roger Barrow, Andrew Grant, Paul Jackson
RUGBY SEVENS
Men
Dylan Sage, Philippus Snyman, Timothy Agaba, Albertus Smith, Werner Kok, Kyle Brown, Cheslin Kolbe, Rosko Specman, Justin Geduld, Cecil Afrika, Seabelo Senatla, Juan De Jongh. Travelling Reserves: Chris Dry, Francois Hougaard
Manager/Coach: Ashley Evert, Neil Powell, Renfred Dazel, Alan Temple-Jones
SAILING
Men
Stefano Marcia, Asenathi Jim, Roger Hudson
Manager/Coach: Brevan Thompson
TRIATHLON
Women
Gillian Sanders, Mari Rabie
Men
Richard Murray, Henri Schoeman
Manager/Coach: Kate Roberts, Lindsey Parry
MEDICAL TEAM
Chief Medical Officer: Dr Kevin Subban
Doctors: Danielle Lincoln; Paul Maphoto, Karen Schwabe
Chief Physiotherapist: Grace Hughes
Physiotherapists: Hugh Everson, Ashleigh Hansen, Collin Hill, Avilarsh Lukhan, Given Motha, Hendrik Maree, Rannoa Ntseke, Eva Ramashala and Sandhya Silal
