History
South Africa made its first Summer Olympic appearance in 1904 and competed until the 1960 Olympics where afterwards the nation was banned from competing due to apartheid. After apartheid ended the nation returned to the Olympics in 1992 and has competed ever since. The nation sends a large delegation with over 100 athletes competing at each Olympics since 2000. The athletes compete in a variety of sports including, athletics, boxing, canoeing, cycling, rowing, sailing and swimming.
South Africa won its first medal in 1908 and has won at least one medal in all subsequent games it has competed in. In total, the nation has won 86 medals across 10 sports. The most successful sports include athletics (29), boxing (19) and swimming (18). The most successful athlete is swimmer Chad le Clos where in the men’s 100m butterfly he won two silver (2012, 2016) medals and in the 200m butterfly he won one gold (2012) and one silver (2016) medal. In 2016 South Africa won 10 medals, a tie for its best ever medal count.
Qualified Quotas
Artistic Swimming
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Duet | Emma Manners-Wood Laura Strugnell |
Athletics
Men’s Events
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s 100m | Akani Simbine | |
| Men’s 200m | Clarence Munyai | |
| Men’s 110m Hurdles | Antonio Alkana | |
| Men’s 400m Hurdles | Zazini Sokwakhana | |
| Men’s 4x100m Relay | Thando Dlodlo Simon Magakwe Clarence Munyai Akani Simbine |
|
| Men’s 20km Walk | Wayne Snyman | |
| Men’s Marathon | Stephen Mokoka | |
| Elroy Gelant | ||
| Desmond Mokgobu | ||
| Men’s Long Jump | Luvo Manyonga | |
| Ruswahl Samaai |
Women’s Events
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s 100m | Tebogo Mamathu | |
| Carina Horn | ||
| Women’s 800m | Caster Semenya | |
| Women’s 5000m | Dominique Scott | |
| Women’s Marathon | Gerda Steyn |
Canoeing
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| |
Chrisjan Coetzee | Declined By NOC |
| |
Bridgitte Hartley Donna Hutton |
Declined By NOC |
Cycling
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Cross-Country | Alan Hatherly | |
| Women’s Cross-Country | Mariske Strauss | |
| Men’s Road Race | Qualified Via Rankings | |
| Women’s Road Race | Qualified Via Rankings | |
| Men’s Time Trial | Qualified Via Rankings | |
| Women’s Time Trial | Qualified Via Rankings |
Diving
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s 3m Springboard | Micaela Bouter |
Equestrian
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Dressage | From Team Quota | |
| Team Dressage | Laurienne Dittmann Horse: Don Weltino K Tanya Seymour Horse: Ramoneur 6 Gretha Ferreira Horse: Lertevangs Lavinia Nicole Smith Horse: Chi La Rou |
Failed to Reach MER |
| Individual Eventing | Victoria Scott-Legendre Horse: Song Du Magay |
Field Hockey
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Tournament | Siyavuya Nolutshungu Andrew Hobson Austin Smith Alex Stewart Tim Drummond Nduduza Lembethe Keenan Horne Dayaan Cassiem Tevin Kok Taine Paton Mohamed Mea Ryan Julius Jethro Eustice Daniel Bell Rassie Pieterse Nicholas Spooner Nqobile Ntuli Clinton Panther |
|
| Women’s Tournament | Tegan Fourie Celia Evans Izelle Verster Kristen Paton Robyn Johnson Dirkie Chamberlain Lisa-Marie Deetlefs Nomnikelo Veto Erin Hunter Hannah Pearce Lilian du Plessis Ongeziwe Mali Phumelela Mbande Quanita Bobbs Tarryn Glasby Mmatshepo Modipane Sylvia van Jaarsveldt Onthatile Zulu |
Football
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Tournament | Andile Mbanjwa Itumeleng Shopane Katlego Mohamme Teboho Mokoena Athenkhosi Dlala Kamohelo Mahlatsi Kegan Johannes Grant Margeman Lyle Foster Matlala Makgalwa Luther Singh Sipho Mbule Happy Mashiane Siyabonga Ngezana Repo Malepe Darren Johnson Thabiso Monyane Thendo Mukumela Kobamelo Kodisang Mondli Mpoto Keanu Cupido |
Gymnastics
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Artistic Individual Events | Caitlin Rooskrantz |
Rowing
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Coxless Pair | John Smith Lawrence Brittain |
Rugby Sevens
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Tournament | Qualified Via Rankings | |
| |
Rights Mkhari Catha Jacobs Buhle Sonomzi Zinhle Ndawonde Sizophila Solontsi Zintle Mpupha Mathrin Simmers Zenay Jordaan Nadine Roos Eloise Webb Liske Lategan Meghan Phillips |
Declined By NOC |
Surfing
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Shortboard | Jordy Smith | |
| Women’s Shortboard | Bianca Buitendag |
Swimming
Men’s Events
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s 200m Backstroke | Chris Reid | |
| Men’s 100m Breaststroke | Michael Houlie | |
| Men’s 100m Butterfly | Chad le Clos | |
| Men’s 200m Butterfly | Chad le Clos |
Women’s Events
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s 100m Breaststroke | Tatjana Schoenmaker | |
| Women’s 200m Breaststroke | Tatjana Schoenmaker | |
| Kaylene Corbett |
Water Polo
| Event | Qualifying Athletes | Selected Athletes |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Tournament | Selected to Compete | |
| Women’s Tournament | Selected to Compete |