Caster, Wayde not in SA Tokyo team - for now
VETERAN cyclist Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio said that while she is respectful of the Japanese public's opposition to this year's Olympic Games, she is desperate to participate in the event later this year.
Moolman-Pasio will be heading to her third Olympics and was named as part of a provisional list of 64 athletes yesterday by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc). Not included were South Africa's two track superstars, Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk, who have yet to qualify for their respective events. Those two will have until July 5, when Sascoc has to submit its final list of athletes to the International Olympic Committee, to complete the necessary qualifying times; in Van Niekerk's case for the 400m and Semenya's the 5 000m.
Meanwhile, the Japanese public remain strongly opposed to the Games taking place in July and August as the country endures its fourth wave of the Covid-19 virus. Yesterday the head of the Japan Doctors Union said the Games, which would see around 10 000 people descend on the country, could lead to a new strain.
However the IOC has remained firm that the Games will go ahead with the Japanese government, for now, defying the growing opposition from the public, to give its backing to the Games being staged.
“Of course I want to race in Tokyo, it's something I've been working towards,” said 35-year-old Moolman-Pasio.
“This will possibly be my last Olympic Games so I want to go there and make my country proud.
“We have to be responsible and we must respect the pandemic and what the world is going through at the moment, but around the world many sporting disciplines have demonstrated that sport can continue in a safe and
respectful way, alongside the Covid pandemic.”
Moolman-Pasio cited her own sport, cycling, as one which had adjusted to the demands of the pandemic and the need for bio-secure environments, in order to continue with competitions.
“Professional cycling is continuing; we've had to adjust to the new protocols and we are all respectful of these protocols.
“I want to go, of course, but I very much understand if something had to change because of the pandemic.”
The initial list of athletes in Team South Africa for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are:
ATHLETICS
Akani Simbine, Clarence Munyai, Antonio Alkana, Cheswill Johnson, Ruswahl Samaai, Rocco van Rooyen, Jason van Rooyen, Stephen Mokoka, Desmond Mokgobu, Elroy Gelant, Wayne Snyman; Men's 4X100m Relay and Men's 4X400m Relay (The athletes are still to be determined by Athletics South Africa); Wenda Nel, Dominique Scott, Gerda Steyn and Irvette van Zyl CLIMBING
Erin Sterkenburg and Chris Cosser CYCLING
Johan Spies, Charlene du Preez, David Maree, Daryl Impey, Ryan Gibbons, Nicholas Dlamini, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Carla Oberholzer, Alan Hatherly, Candice Lill and Alex Limberg
GYMNASTICS
Caitlin Rooskrantz
WOMEN'S FIELD HOCKEY
Quanita Bobbs, Erin Christie, Lisa Deetlefs, Lilian du Plessis, Nicole Erasmus, Tarryn Glasby, Robyn Johnson, Charne Maddocks, Lerato Mahole, Phumelela Mbande, Edith Molikoe, Kristen Paton, Tarryn Potts, Celia Seerane, Nomnikelo Veto and Onthatile Zulu
MEN'S FIELD HOCKEY
Erasmus Pieterse, Timothy Drummond, Austin Smith, Mohamed Mea, Matthew Guise Brown, Jethro Eustice, Nduduzo Lembethe, Taine Paton, Nicholas Spooner, Clinton Panther, Samkelo Mvimbi, Abdud Cassiem, Mustaphaa Cassiem, Nqobile Ntuli, Keenan Horne and Tevin Kok
SAILING
Alex Burger and Benjamin Daniel
SURFING
Bianca Buitendag