Team South Africa is raring to go at the Games in Birmingham this week.
Four years ago, Team South Africa concluded the Commonwealth Games sixth on the overall table of 71 teams. Four years later, the South Africans are keen to improve on that.
In 2018 they won 37 medals -- 18 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze.
To improve that haul in the quadrennial showpiece, which features former British Empire colonies, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has selected a strong contingent.
Starting on 28 July, the Games have sports such as para athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, cricket, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowls, netball, para lawn bowls, swimming, para swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, triathlon, para triathlon, rugby sevens and weightlifting.
"To us, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games [presents] an opportunity for those athletes with Olympic ambitions to stake their claim for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028," said Sascoc CEO Nozipho Jafta at the team announcement.
"My heart bursts with pride when I look at the composition of Team SA that is going to Birmingham. The 2022 Games will have the largest-ever female and para sport programme in history and Team SA will contribute significantly...
