Rio 2016: Team SA heads into first official day
Team SA go into the first official day of the Rio Olympic games buoyed by impressive if unexpected results from Banyana Banyana and the men's under 23 football sides.
Both teams stepped up to the plate with the men defying home crowds and form to hold the Brazilians to a 0-0 draw, although it wasn't as if the home side didn't have a few shots to the net, but veteran Itumeleng Khune was a match for Barcelona's Neymar throughout the game.
With Denmark and Iraq the other pool A contenders this draw may well be the game-changer.
Banyana defended admirably against the Swedes, who are top ranked in the Pool E, but a momentary loss of focus from a 75th minute corner, cost the game girls their match and certainly did not reflect the 90 minutes.
They will face China and Brazil in their bid to progress, with China up on the first night of the Games (23:00 RSA)
The world anticipates a carnival atmosphere for Fridays opening ceremony which will see Flag bearer Wayde van Neikerk lead the 137 South African athletes into competition as the IOC President Bach?? Utters the traditional "let the Games begin" and when they do South Africa will hope to be at the fore of rush to the podium which commences with Daryl Impy and Louis Meintjies, who surprised many by finishing 8th overall and 2nd young rider in the Tour d France.
In what manager Doug Rider describes as a war of attrition the rider open with a 40km leg to the Grumari Natural Park where they will ride 4 hilly laps that include 2km of cobbles on each circuit before heading back to Copocabana via a circuit around the Serra da Tijuca National Park where a two stage 715m elevation climb over 8.9km, which is sure to separate the men from the boys on their third attempt of asking.
The final return to Copocabana will reward the best of the best with more than golden sands.
USA based artistic Gymnast Ryan Patterson is next up (15:30) completing his three sessions in the Olympic park, while Lawrence Brittain and Shaun Keeling should progress through the heats of the men's pair to open the rowing campaign (15:30).
Swimming will be keeping South Africans up at night with Michael Meyer and Sebastian Rousseau taking on the 400m individual medley (18:00) at the start of the morning session, Myles Brown in the heats of the 400 free and Cameron van der Burgh commencing his defense of the 100 Breast stroke with his semi final set for 04:00 in Sunday morning for South African enthusiasts.
Progression for Meyer and Rousseau takes them directly to a final at 03:00, with Brown 24 minutes later.
A relaxed but focused van der Burgh was confident about the SA swimmers chances in the pool with 3-4 medals expected from the squad under head coach Graham Hill.
Apart from the 100m-breast stroke, le Clos will hope to add the 100 butterfly and the 4 x 200 squad could pull off something special, but in truth hill has developed a close-knit team of talent.
The real kick-start would come if van der Burgh could defend his Gold in the opening two days, then the momentum will build not just behind the swimmers but the whole of Team SA.
Chef de Mission Tubby Reddy is excited about the prospect of an early medal, but remembers the challenges of Beijing where only Khotso Mokoena saved the day with a lone Silver in the long jump. 'We need the early medal it makes all the difference, and lifts the team and gets them on a high, then things happen'
We have already taken the advantage thanks to Football who got the ball rolling….. Let the Games begin!
