Return to Helen's home page

South Africans in the Olympics and Hansie
The Olympic games are fascinating not only for the achievements during the games themselves, but for what aspirant athletes achieve for themselves in the runup to the games. The three South African olympic hopefuls below have already achieved remarkable things.

Sello Maduma lives in Mamelodi and is the only black member of the 6 member South African Olympic fencing team. He is 21 years old and has overcome financial difficulties to excel in a sport which is virtually unknown in the community in which he lives.

Oscar Pistorius is a 22 year old sprinter who comes from Tshwane/Pretoria. He is a double amputee, and has recently (mid May 2008) won the right to compete in able bodied races. He hopes to qualify for the South African Olympic team. Read about his recent races in this Mail and Guardian Online article. He also has a website.

Natalie du Toit is one of South Africa's top swimmers and was on track to qualify for the Olympic team (she narrowly missed qualifying for the Sydney Olympics) when she lost a leg in a car accident in 2001. She has now qualified for the able bodied South African Olympic team and will compete in the open water olympic event this year.

At the other end of the spectrum; the ghost of Hansie Cronje continues to haunt South African cricket with the making of a new BBC documentary about Hansie's life. It seems we still do not know the full story behind the wheelings and dealings that went on under his captaincy, so his damaging legacy lives on.

Labels: Hansie Cronje, Natalie du Toit, Olympics, Oscar Pistorius, Sello Maduma

  ¶ [url for this post] [0 Comments] [Links to this post]