Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Five South African stars to watch

Here, SABC Sport takes a look at five athletes to follow closely at the upcoming global showpiece.

Akani Simbine (Men's 100m)

Now South Africa's veteran sprinter, Simbine will be at the peak of his powers in Paris. The 30-year-old has been given the honour of leading out Team SA as a flag bearer, which could inspire him to greater heights on track.

Results-wise, Simbine has a season's best of 9.94 seconds and has placed first in two Diamond League meets this year. The sprinter is also a key part of the men's 4x100m relay team. He will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish in 2020, where he narrowly missed out on a medal.

Boipelo Awuah (Women's Street Skateboarding)

Awuah is one of the lesser-known athletes on this list. Selected to be part of the 2020 SA Olympic team at just 15 years old, the starlet aimed to make a splash on the ramps of Tokyo. But her Olympic dream was cut short.

On just the second day of practice, a big fall saw her fracture her pelvis and rule her out of the competition before it had even begun. Now, four years later and wiser, the Diamond of Kimberley will take to the streets with a renewed appreciation. 

Wayde van Niekerk (Men's 400m)

The sprinter's effort at the 2016 Games in Rio, where he broke the 400m World Record that still stands to this day, made him one of Mzansi's most celebrated sons.

Since van Niekerk has been hampered by injury but the desire to compete still burns strong. While he finished seventh at the 2023 World Championships, van Niekerk did record a faster time at the New York City Grand Prix this June. Whatever his result in Paris, he is likely set for an emotional farewell.

Tatjana Smith (Women's Swimming)

Smith (nee Schoenmaker) was one of Team South Africa's success stories of the 2020 Olympic Games. In the prelims of the 100m breaststroke, the Johannesburg native set an Olympic Record. In the finals, she would narrowly lose out to the gold medal but the silver she earned was the first medal for an SA woman in the pool since 2000.

But Smith's best was yet to come. Smith stormed into the 200m breaststroke finals, where she won gold and set a new World Record for the distance.

Blitzboks (Men's Rugby Sevens)

As the rebuild continues, the Blitzboks endured a tumultuous season on the Sevens circuit, winning the opening round in Dubai but falling way short in the middle of the season.

A poor season forced the Blitzboks into an Olympic qualification tournament. They will take solace from the good form shown there, moving through unbeaten to secure a place in Paris.

Led by playmaker Selvyn Davids with the dangerous Rosko Specman as his lieutenant, the Blitzboks will be eager to improve on their fifth-place finish in Tokyo in 2020.

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