South African Olympic team announced

The first group of athletes who will be representing South Africa at the London Olympics next month was announced by South Africa’s Olympic governing body, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), on Wednesday 6 June in Johannesburg.

A total of 112 sportsmen and women made it into the initial list. The rest of the team will be announced on 4 July after the qualifying deadlines for all sporting codes have passed.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of four years of extremely hard work for everyone, both at Sascoc and in the broader South African sports fraternity,” said the committee’s president, Gideon Sam. He added that team was chosen from the best talent available for selection.

Team sports form the bulk of the team thus far with the women’s football side taking a squad of 18 players and the men’s and women’s hockey sides each comprising 16 players.

A total of 16 sporting codes will be represented, ranging from archery to weightlifting and it will be the first time that our national women’s side, fondly known as Banyana Banyana, will compete at the Olympics.

Team South Africa as it currently stands:

Aquatics: Jean Basson, Charl Crous, Heerden Herman, Chad le Clos, Gideon Louw, Kathryn Meaklim, Graeme Moore, Karin Prinsloo, Sebastien Rousseau, Riaan Schoeman, Roland Schoeman, Leith Shankland, Darian Townsend, Wendy Trott, Suzaan van Biljon, Cameron van der Burgh. Manager: Shawn Adriaanse, Coaches: Graham Hill and Igor Omeltchenko

Archery: Karen Hultzer; Coach/manager: Johan Steyn

Athletics: Marathon (men): Lusapho April, Stephen Mokoka, Coolboy Ngamole Marathon (women): Rene Kalmer, Tanith Maxwell, Irvette van Blerk. Track and field: Cornel Fredericks, Caster Semenya, Louis Jacobus van Zyl, Sunette Viljoen. 50km race walk: Marc Mundell

Badminton: Michelle Edwards, Dorian James, Annari Viljoen, Willem Viljoen; Coach/manager: Stewart Carson

Boxing: Siphiwe Lusizi, Ayabonga Sonjica; Coach/manager: Andile Mofu, Coach: Nkosinathi Hlatshwayo

Canoeing: Bridgitte Hartley, Tiffany Kruger; Manager: Merill King

Cycling: Road: Darryl Impey, Robyn de Groot, Ashleigh Moolman, Joanna van de Winkel. Mountain bike: Phillip Buys, Candice Neethling, Burry Stander
BMX: Sifiso Nhlapo; Track: Bernard Esterhuizen; Coach/manager: Barry Austin, coach: Jean -Pierre van Zyl, Herve’ Krebs, Jeroen Swart Mechanic: Dylan van der Merwe

Equestrian: Paul Hart; Coach/manager: Alison Abbey, Groom: Tamsyn Hutchins, Vet: David Ellis

Football (women): Roxanne Barker, Zamandosi Cele, Amanda Dlamini, Judith Hlumbane, Refiloe Jane, Kylie-Ann Louw, Noko Matlou, Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Philadelphia Mndaweni, Portia Modise, Sanah Mollo, Robyn Moodaly, Marry Ntsweng, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Amanda Sister, Leandra Smeda, Janine van Wyk, Nothando Vilakazi; Manager: Lydia Monyepao, Coach: Joseph Mkhonza, Coach: Matsobane Laka, Technical adviser: Ephraim Mashaba.

Hockey (women): Tarryn Bright, Dirkie Chamberlain, Pietie Coetzee, Bernadette Coston, Sulette Damons, Illse Davids, Lisa-Marie Deetlefs, Lesle-Ann George, Lenise Marais, Marsha Marescia, Mariette Rix, Shelley Russell, Kathleen Taylor, Nicolene Terblanche, Jennifer Wilson, Kate Woods; Coach: Giles Bonnet, Coach: Fabian Gregory, Video analyst: Adrian Carolan

Hockey (men); Andrew Cronje, Timothy Drummond, Ian Haley, Rhett Halkett, Marvin Harper, Julian Hykes, Lance Louw, Lloyd Madsen, Thornton McDade, Lloyd Norris-Jones, Taine Paton, Wade Paton, Erasmus Pieterse, Justin Reid-Ross, Jonathan Robinson, Austin Smith; Manager: Anton van Rooyen, Coach: Gregg Clark, Coach Kurt Cerfonteyn, Video Analyst: Moabi Malebye

Judo: Gideon van Zyl; Coach/manager: Nikola Filipov

Rowing: Men’s lightweight cox less four: Matthew Brittain, Lawrence Ndlovu, John Smith, James Thompson Women’s Pair: Lee-Ann Persse, Naydene Smith; Coach/manager: Roger Barrow, Coach: Paul Jackson

Sailing: Asenathi Jim, Roger Hudson; Coach/manager: David Hudson

Shooting: Alistair Davis; Coach/manager: Frank Davis

Triathlon: Richard Murray, Kate Roberts, Gillian Sanders; Coach/manager: Lindsey Parry

Volleyball (beach): Freedom Chiya, Grant Goldschmidt; Coach/manager: Gershon Rorich

Weightlifting: Jean Greeff; Coach/manager: Aveenash Pandoo

General team management: Chef de Mission: Francis Maleka; Project manager: Ezera Tshabangu; Manager (Operations): Patience Shikwambana, Manager (Athlete Services): Leon Fleiser Athlete Services: Victoria Hlatshwayo Manager (Logistics): Isaac Mdaka Logistics: Joanne Myers

Medical team: Chief medical officer: Kevin Subban; Chief physiotherapist: Bafana Sihlali; Medical doctors: Phathokuhle Cele, Louis Holthausen; Physiotherapists: Caren Fleishman, Tamlyn Guest, Nhlanhla Maphanga, Hendrick Maree, Fikile Phasha, Tanushree Pillay, Louise-Ann Rivett, Nandhakumar Viranna

Image: Banyana: the women’s football team, has qualified for the first time ever. (Image: MediaClubSouthAfrica.com.