One nation, one team: Support SA at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Designed by Mr Price Sport, Team SA's Maxed Elite Olympic kit was inspired by SA landmarks, flora and fauna. (Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)

An original piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower forms the centrepiece of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medals. (Olympics website/Press handout)

WATCH TEAM SA IN ACTION: UPCOMING OLYMPIC EVENTS

Sunday August 11

Athletics

Women’s marathon

Gerda Steyn — 2:32:51, 45th
Cian Oldknow — 2:30:29, 32nd
Irvette van Zyl — 2:31:14, 37th

Wrestling

Men’s 97kg freestyle repechage 11am

Steyn de Lange lost to Murazi Mchedlidze (Ukraine) VP01 (3-5)

Striking murals depicting famous local athletes have been painted in 23 locations across the SA to inspire Msanzi to support Team SA at #Paris24. This initiative, which is part of the Bidvest OPEX programme, has also provided monthly income to the families from whom the walls are being rented. (Bidvest)

Operation Excellence: Bidvest backs SA's next generation of Olympians

[Supporting Team SA] is a milestone in what I call [Bidvest's] country duty. Sport is a unifier, but more so in SA, it's about social cohesion. So we're not just backing sport, we're backing societies and the country as a whole
— Mpumi Madisa, Bidvest Group CEO

Thanks to a R66m cash injection by Bidvest, the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (Sascoc) has been able to revive its Operation Excellence (OPEX) programme.

Now named the Bidvest OPEX programme, it aims to:

Identify the next generation of SA athletes who have the potential to compete at the highest level in international events; and
Help them reach their full potential by supporting them with benefits such as living expenses, opportunities to attend local and international camps and competitions, and access to scientific and medical services.

SA Olympians who have previously benefitted from the programme include Matthew Brittain, Chad le Clos, Ryk Neethling, Sizwe Ndlovu, Roland Schoeman, Caster Semenya, John Smith, James Thompson, Cameron van der Burgh and Wayde van Niekerk.