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HERO: Cameron van der Burgh. Minister Fikile Mbalula urged funders to help. PHOTO: REUTERS

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Almost immediately afterwards, Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula promised to help. Mbalula, who was at OR Tambo International airport to welcome home Van der Burgh and fellow Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos, said the government would prioritise funding for medal-winning sports like swimming.

South Africa won three medals in the London pool - two golds and a silver.

Addressing the thousands who turned out to welcome them back, Van der Burgh said he and Le Clos had discussed how to improve SA swimming.

"Chad and I were having a chat on the plane this morning," said Van der Burgh.

"We agreed that we have to use the successes of the London Olympics to change South African swimming.

"We really have to take swimming to another level."

He said South Africa's 5,000 to 6,000 active club swimmers were a "drop in the ocean" compared with about 150,000 in Australia and 300,000 in the US.

"With more financial support we will win more medals," he said.

Mbalula responded, saying he had also urged the corporate world to contribute to the success of South African sport.

"Swimming has never let us down at global competitions, they always come back with medals despite getting very little financial support," said the minister.

"You can see with a zero budget, we can beat the Australians.

"If we give more financial support to medal-winning codes like swimming, we will win more medals."

Mbalula said top swimming coaches like Graham Hill should also be used to develop talent in the townships. Hill has been Le Clos's coach for 12 years and was the team coach at the Olympic Games.

"We have an Olympic swimming pool in Gugulethu but people are now using it for bashes.

"We must use it so that we will produce more top swimmers," said Mbalula.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Van der Burgh revealed yesterday that his cellphone pin number was 2012. He said that since the age of 10 (in 1998) he'd been using that as his pin number.

"But now that I've won gold in the 2012 Olympics, I've achieved that goal and for the first time in 14 years I'll have to change my pin," said Van der Burgh.

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Wed Jun 19 09:43:22 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 10, 2012

Stumaeza

Welldone boys

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Aug 10, 2012

candilious

Fikile Mbalula jireeeeeee you guys like to take credit where you have done nothing.For all these years yes their manage on a low budget. Why cant you greedy Politians learn from this Jasssas government would prioritise funding for medal-winning sports like swimming.
____________________________Another why for you to blerrie chow the money


Congratulations Guys you have done us Proud............
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Aug 10, 2012

candilious

Meant to say anther way for you to blerrie chow the money
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Aug 10, 2012

ONEE

WE ARE PROUD OF YOU
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Aug 10, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

South africa as a whole is happy for all of u guys, well done
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Aug 10, 2012

shakes83

Fiks (Fikile Mbalula) come to Orlando, Moletsane, Central, Dobsonville, Pimville, Senaone Swimming Pools, you'll see what we do in our tonwship swimming pools!!


Chisa Nyama all the way!!!!!!


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