Top Contenders for South Africa's Medal Haul at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Crankin' Up the Heat for Paris 2024:
South Africa is stacking their deck with some powerhouse athletes for the Paris Olympics next year. Here's a lowdown on some of Mzansi's key competitors, their medal odds, and recent performances.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Athletics
Wayde van Niekerk:
Famed for his 400m world record, van Niekerk is gunning for that Olympic gold again. Although he didn't land a spot on the podium in Tokyo, his latest times suggest he's got a good shot at both the 400m and 4x400m relay.
In Oslo Bislett Games, he blazingly clocked 44.38 seconds before setting a new meeting record with a time of 44.21 at the Racers Grand Prix.
Akani Simbine: Odds at 9.00
Simbine just missed a medal in Tokyo's 100m, landing in fourth. He's setting his sights on bagging South Africa's first Olympic 100m gold since 1908.
With his lightning-fast 9.97 seconds in the World Athletics Championships final, and a cheeky 9.99 seconds at the Diamond League in Lausanne, Canani's reignited competition!
Bet Now: Olympics
Splashin' Around: Swimming
Tatjana Schoenmaker: Odds at 6.00
In Tokyo, she strutted her way to gold and silver medals in the breaststroke. Schoenmaker's a force to be reckoned with in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events.
She clinched gold in the 200m breaststroke at the World Aquatics Championships with a time of 2:20.80. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she swiftly took home the gold in the same event, recording a time of 2:21.92.
Chad le Clos:
A former gold medalist, le Clos will chip in with his skills in the 100m butterfly. At the Luxembourg Euro Meet earlier this year, he swam an impressive five events, and his 100m butterfly time was a zingy 51.79. During the 2024 World Championships in Doha, he placed 5th in the 100m butterfly with a time of 51.48 seconds.
Bet Now: Olympics
Keep Your Eyes Peeled: Notable Mentions
Other potential medalists are Jordy Smith in the Surfing event, after a Tokyo slip-up due to injury.
In Golf, Christiaan Bezuidenhout consistently soars on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, giving South Africa a great chance at a golf medal.
Caster Semenya's moved to the 5000m event following World Athletics' testosterone regulations, posting a swift 15:31:50 at the South African Championships.
Zane Weir in the Shot Put game could pose a threat to the podium. He placed 8th at the World Athletic Championships but dominated with a gold win at the European Indoor Championships, flinging the shot put an impressive 21.46 meters.
In the sports arena, Christiaan Bezuidenhout's consistent performances on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour place South Africa in a strong position for a golf medal at the Paris Olympics. In the field of soccer, Caster Semenya, now focusing on the 5000m event, has shown promise with a quick time of 15:31:50 at the South African Championships.
