Team SA Physiotherapist Kayla Richards shares special message to the athletes

Richards is one of the 15 Team SA medical practitioners selected by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) to take care of the athletes’ day-to-day needs at the Olympic Village in France. Richards is adamant that Team South Africa will do well but stated that they should also enjoy the journey in their pursuit for medals.

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 ''The athletes have done the hard work, they have prepared and they have qualified and the foundation has been set. The only thing they have to do is to show up and show off and enjoy this momentous occasion of being on the global stage such as the Olympic games,'' said Richards.

 Richards further unpack what her role entails as a Physiotherapist for Team SA.

 ''I have been assigned to the Urban sport which is BMX and skateboarding. My role here is mainly to assist and support with recovery, maintenance work and injury prevention,'' said Richards.

 The entire medical team arrived a week before the athletes to prepare and set things up for the entire team. Richards speaks about the mood and atmosphere at the Paris Olympics after Team SA's arrival at Ekhaya Hub.

 ''The overall mood in the Village was quite quiet and laid back on arrival, that is  because we arrived a week before the athletes to set up and prepare but the Villa is now filled with excitement and the spirits high because the athletes have finally arrived,'' he concluded.

 Richards received her first national team call-up in 2018 for Team SA University Sport, she unpacks how that opened doors for her career to move forward, with Paris Games becoming her second Olympic experience.