Some of Team South Africa‘s (SA) athletics relay team are returning home this week after their medal-winning performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Story Summary:
- Tatjana Smith and South Africa’s athletics relay team are returning home after winning medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- Smith, who is now South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, announced her retirement at the Games.
- A homecoming event will be held at the airport this week, with the Minister of Sport, SASCOC, and other dignitaries in attendance.
Team SA homecoming event: Here’s what you must know
Tatjana Smith, South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, will arrive back in the country on Tuesday morning, following her successful run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won two gold medals and two silver medals in breaststroke swimming.
Smith, who announced her retirement after the Games, will be joined by members of the men’s 4×100 metres relay team, who secured a historic silver medal for South Africa.
The homecoming event will take place at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, along with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and other dignitaries, will welcome the athletes.
Fans and supporters are expected to gather at the airport to celebrate the athletes’ achievements.
Tatjana Smith’s performance in Paris solidified her status as South Africa’s greatest Olympian.
She added a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke to her previous haul of two gold medals from earlier in the Games, as well as a silver from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Smith’s final race in Paris saw her finish with a time of 2:19.60, just behind the United States’ Kate Douglass, who took gold with a time of 2:19.24.
The men’s 4×100 metres relay team, comprising Bayanda Walaza, Bradley Nkoana, Shaun Maswanganyi, and Akani Simbine, made history by securing a silver medal in their event.
This achievement marked the first time South Africa has won a medal in the 4×100 metres relay at the Olympics, further adding to the nation’s celebrations.
The homecoming event is expected to be a significant moment for the athletes, marking the culmination of their Olympic journey and the beginning of their return to normal life after months of intense preparation and competition.
The event will not only honour their achievements but also give the South African public an opportunity to celebrate the country’s sporting success on the world stage.
