It is undeniable that South Africa has been on top of its game in the sporting world. These victories gave birth to the rise and dominance of the phrase, “No DNA, just RSA”, and most South Africans have embraced it with open arms. The diversity of the sports that the country is involved in makes these wins so much sweeter. From football, the Olympics, and rugby, to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the recent season had it all. As the year is roughly 77.5% complete, it feels right to highlight some of the best moments in South African sport during the third quarter of the year.
Olympic Glory: The Medal Run
During the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, South African athletes certainly made their mark. It all started with a bronze medal win from the men’s rugby sevens team, followed by another bronze medal from Alan Hatherly during the men’s mountain bike competition. Tatjana Smith (née Schoemaker) received a gold medal for her stellar performance during the women’s 100m breaststroke swimming competition. In a later event, she secured a silver medal for the women’s 200m breaststroke competition. In a bittersweet moment following her commendable performances, Smith announced her retirement from swimming.
Moving to athletics, the men showed up, and they showed out. Bayanda Walaza, Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine secured a silver medal win for their men’s 4×100m relay performance. And finally, Jo-Ané van Dyk closed out South Africa’s medal run with a silver victory for the women’s javelin event.
Rugby: The Continued Dominance
Ever since the Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the air has been filled with victory. During the most recent rugby season, the Bokke managed to win the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009. The Freedom Cup is a trophy that is played for during the Rugby Championship by South Africa and New Zealand. After all has been said and done, the Springboks remain the top rugby team in the world as per the World Rugby Rankings.
Women’s Football: Foot on Necks
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) secured the regional CAF Women’s Champions League after winning the post-match penalties 9 to 8 against Botswana’s Gaborone United. This win means that they will be joining the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies at the continental finals. With both teams being products of South African football, South African Football Association (SAFA) CEO Lydia Monyepao highlighted how this is good for the country’s footballing system. She said, “Think about it, we will have two teams at the continental championships!” Another important update is that Banyana Banyana will face England’s Lionesses in an away friendly match on 29 October. We wish them nothing but the absolute best.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
The highly anticipated fight between rivals Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya was a thrill to watch. The fight was close as both fighters threw significant strikes towards each other. However, Du Plessis emerged victorious after showcasing his grappling skills during the final rounds, managing to secure the fight. After Adesanya tapped out, we saw Du Plessis raising his hands in celebration because this win meant that he remained the UFC middleweight champion.
As our national teams and athletes continue to thrive, TuksSport athletes can only draw inspiration from these amazing performances. This year will surely be remembered as one of the golden eras in South African sporting history. Their victories are a testament to the hard work it takes to nurture South African sport. With sport management entities such as TuksSport, the nation’s sporting legacy is bound to grow stronger from here.