South African javelin thrower Jo-Ane van Dyk secures Olympic silver

Van Dyk, a four-time African Championships medallist, showcased her skill and determination by delivering a throw of 63.93m in the final.

This impressive performance was just 29cm short of her personal best of 64.22m, set during the qualifying round.

Van Dyk's remarkable achievement saw her finish second behind Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi, who won gold with a throw of 65.80m. This silver medal marks a significant milestone in Van Dyk's career, solidifying her position as one of the world's top javelin throwers.

Earlier, Brian Raats, competing in men's high jump, cleared 2.17m but was unable to progress further, finishing 12th.

In the men's marathon, Elroy Gelant and Stephen Mokoka represented South Africa with strong performances, finishing 11th and 27th respectively.

Hamish Lovemore had a commendable showing in the kayak singles (canoeing), winning the B final with a time of 3:27.94 after placing eighth in the semifinal.

In women's golf, Ashleigh Buhai tied for 13th place with a score of three-under par, while Paula Reto tied for 44th place.

Steyn de Lange, competing in the men's 97kg wrestling division, was defeated in the 1/8 finals by Georgia's Givi Matcharashvili.

Meanwhile, in track cycling, Jean Spies competed in the men's keirin, but his Olympic journey ended before the quarterfinals. 

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