Team South Africa leave on Saturday to compete in the All Africa Games in Algiers from July 11 to 23.
The All Africa Games contribute to the promotion of the Olympic spirit and stand as a major rendezvous for African athletes. These Games are a milestone in the preparation of the Olympic Games as they are an opportunity for the continent’s athletes to express their potential.
It is therefore no coincidence that the All Africa Games are also held every four years, but one year before the Olympic Games.
”For us, the 13 days from July 11 to 23 represent a critical and integral part of the four-year cycle that includes the Commonwealth Games, the World Student Games, these All Africa Games and culminating in the Olympics. Our endeavour, then, is not just to perform well in these continental games but also to be the best African team at the Beijing Olympics next year,” said Moss Mashishi, President of Sascoc (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee).
”South Africa’s overall performance at the All Africa Games has so far has been outstanding. In 1995 in Harare we secured first position, we repeated this feat in 1999, here at home, and we secured third position in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003. We know that this time Team SA will strive to maintain that pedigree among the best in Africa.”
”We are extremely proud to announce that we have 392 athletes representing South Africa in 26 different sporting codes at the All Africa Games,” said Hajera Kajee, Chef de Mission of Team South Africa.
”Our sportsmen and women have over the years earned the respect of their peers. I am therefore confident that this fine contingent of well-trained men and women will live up to expectations. They now have the opportunity to show their talent on the African stage, competing against the best the continent has to offer,” she concluded.
A number of athletes have already gathered at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria. They will be joined in Algiers by 34 of the countries top athletes, who will be travelling from their base camp in Germany. These athletes, many of them potential Olympic medallists, have been competing on the European circuit over the past few months. — Sapa