The South African women came fourth in triumph on Saturday night, finishing outside the Indoor Hockey World Cup medals but still finishing higher than any national team before them.
It was a bitter pill, nonetheless, first losing 1-6 to favourites Netherlands in the semifinals in the afternoon, and then in the evening going down 1-3 in the bronze medal match to the Czech Republic, ranked fifth in the world and nine spots above the home side.
In the men’s final, defending champions Austria drew with Holland 4-4, then shared the shoot-out 2-2 before winning on the first round of sudden death to retain their crown.
But it was a different case in the women’s final where the Netherlands thumped Austria 7-0 to win their third title in six editions. They’ve been in the final every time.
Fighting for third place, the South African women dominated the first quarter against the Czechs, giving themselves chances to score, though they were unable to find the net.
But it was the Czechs who struck first, Adela Lehovcova converting a penalty corner just before the first hooter.
South Africa survived a penalty stroke attempt late in the second quarter, with captain Katerina Lacina missing her attempt high and left.
But the Europeans hit early into the second half through another penalty corner and went 3-0 up in the third quarter before Tania Fourie deflected a shot upfield into the net to make it 3-1.
South Africa tried their hearts out to score more goals, even substituting their goalkeeper for an extra field player, but they just couldn’t find the net.
Both teams won four penalty corners, but the Czechs made two of them count.
“It’s hard to not be disappointed, coming off the back of two losses,” captain Jess O’ Connor said afterwards.
“But, you know what, my girls made me proud, my team made me proud.
“We tried our best out there and just to make top four is an incredible achievement for our team.”
Their previous best finish at an indoor Cup was ninth, and in the traditional field version they ended seventh in 1998.
The US men suffered the fate as the South African women, finishing fourth on the wrong end of a penalty shoot-out.
Iran took the men’s bronze, beating the US 3-2 on penalties after their match ended in a 4-4 draw.
Enemies on the political front, they were anything but after the match.
When US skipper Pat Harris started crying during a media interview straight after the game, his Iran counterpart Behdad Beiranvand approached him, embraced him and also wept.
“That’s why I play sport,” Harris said afterwards.
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