ASA Grand Prix may be an Olympic gauge

We already have an indication of what we can expect from the country’s top swimmers, and South Africa’s best track and field athletes will now have a chance to stick their hands up in the early stages of the season as we look ahead to this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

With less than five months to go before the Games, there are at least some reasons to be excited about the country’s medal chances in the pool, though they are few and far between.

And while former world record holder Tatjana Schoenmaker did not compete at last month’s World Aquatics Championships, she remains SA’s best medal hope in Paris, along with teenager Pieter Coetze, who grabbed the national squad’s only medal at the global showpiece in Doha.

A number of other swimmers will be eager to raise their game and cause upsets in the pool, but the list of potential medal contenders remains slim.

Sadly, the medal prospects in track and field are looking even slimmer, but we do need to see the athletes in action in the early stages of the 2024 campaign before we become too despondent about what to expect at the Games.

Swimming and athletics are traditionally the country’s best Olympic sports, but South Africa has not earned a medal at a major global track and field championship since 2017, and the athletics squad will be desperate to end their lengthy drought.

Fortunately, there is some hope, particularly in sprint events. The likes of Akani SImbine and Wayde van Niekerk will want to prove they are still in the hunt at the highest level by opening their domestic campaigns in style.

The depth in sprint events will also be key, with potential relay medals on the cards, and while Simbine has already clocked a nifty 15.04 seconds over the rarely run 150m distance this year, he will need sufficient support to give the 4x100m team a chance.

The ASA Grand Prix Series (which starts in Potchefstroom on Thursday) will be the first real test for SA’s elite track and field athletes to offer some indication that they will be ready to challenge for medals in Paris.

It already seems clear that the national squad’s medal haul in the French capital is going to be less than desirable.

But we still have hope, and if they can shine on the domestic circuit, local track and field stars will be able to raise our confidence levels.

If not, all eyes in Paris will be on the pool.