Root for our Rio team

THERE’S nothing like an Olympic gold medal to make a country feel good. And the team of 137 athletes named by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee this week could put smiles on our faces at the Rio Games next month.

Chad le Clos, Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya could be our poster boys and girl of the showpiece while several others could become national heroes too.

The committee’s president, Gideon Sam, said the aim was six gold medals. It’s a tall order, but no one should dismiss his optimism — every gold medal South Africa has won since readmission has lifted our spirits.

Swimmer Penny Heyns won two in Atlanta in 1996 — our first golds in 44 years. The gold that Josia Thugwane, our first black Olympic champion, won in the marathon was monumental.

We waited eight years for our next gold. The men’s 4x100m freestyle swimming team stunned the world at Athens 2004.

Eight years passed before Le Clos (beating the great Michael Phelps), Cameron van der Burgh and the men’s lightweight rowers won more gold at London in 2012. The rowing team contained Sizwe Ndlovu, our second black champion.

It’s been 20 years since a local woman won gold, but Semenya, javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen and rowers Kirsten McCann and Ursula Grobler could end that drought.

There were some controversial selections this week, too.

Sprinter Akani Simbine was taken off the 200m roster for Gift Leotlela, even though Simbine is a lot faster. Top long-jumper Zarck Visser was omitted because he hadn’t shown form, and was replaced by Stefan Brits. Even so, Team SA possess potential to make for a Rio celebration.