World Athletics confirm 35 South African competitors for Olympics

World Athletics has confirmed that a total of 35 South African track and field athletes, featuring 11 women, have been entered for the Paris Olympics starting in two weeks’ time.

The international federation overnight released a list of all the nations’ athletes who will be in action for the track-and-field competition which kicks off with racewalking on August 1.

The first South Africans in action will be Tshepo Tshite and Ryan Mphahlele in the men’s 1,500m heats in the morning of Friday August 2. That evening Prudence Sekgodiso will compete in the first round of the women’s 800m followed by Kyle Blignaut in the men’s shot put qualification and Adriaan Wildschutt, who has the country’s first medal opportunity in the men’s 10,000m final.

As expected, Wayde van Niekerk is listed as a 200m runner, replacing the seemingly off-form Luxolo Adams who in turn has threatened legal action for being dropped.

South Africans qualified in three ways — first by achieving automatic qualifying times or, failing that, through world rankings. The third was being selected as relay-specific runners. 

Adams clocked an automatic qualifying time in August 2023 before struggling with an injury that delayed his return to the track until last weekend, running an unimpressive 21.50 sec. 

Van Niekerk, who got a qualifying time in the 400m, got into the 200m on world ranking.

The contingent of 11 women is the second highest since readmission at Barcelona 1992, behind only the 13 who went to Rio 2016. Eight of them qualified on time.

The team listed by World Athletics is:

Men: Akani Simbine (100m, 4x100m), Shaun Maswanganyi (100m, 200m 4x100m), Benjamin Richardson (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Wayde van Niekerk (200m), Lythe Pillay (400m, 4x400m), Zakithi Nene (400m, 4x400m), Edmund du Plessis (800m), Tshepo Tshite (1,500m), Ryan Mphahlele (1,500m), Adriaan Wildschutt (10,000m), Stephen Mokoka (marathon), Elroy Gelant (marathon), Jovan van Vuuren (long jump), Cheswill Johnson (long jump), Brian Raats (high jump), Kyle Blignaut (shot put), Francois Prinsloo (discus), Victor Hogan (discus), Sinesipho Dambile (4x100m), Bayanda Walaza (4x100m) Bradley Nkoana (4x100m), Adrian Swart (4x400m), Gardeo Isaacs (4x400m), Antonie Nortje (4x400m).

Women: Miranda Coetzee (400m), Prudence Sekgodiso (800m), Gerda Steyn (marathon), Cian Oldknow (marathon), Irvette van Zyl (marathon), Marioné Fourie (100m hurdles), Zeney Geldenhuys (400m hurdles), Rogail Joseph (400m hurdles), Jo-Ane van Dyk (javelin), Miné de Klerk (shot put), Ashley Erasmus (shot put).