The president punched the sky and leapt into the air as ordinary South Africans laughed, cried, danced and hugged when the country was named the host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup on Saturday. As Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Zurich drew the card stating ”South Africa” from the envelope, the country erupted with jubilation.

A three-hour meeting to sort out the axing of Olympic silver-medallist Hezekiel Sepeng from the South African team to Athens ended on Thursday with Athletics SA CEO Banele Sindani saying: ”There’s always light at the end of the tunnel.” But he was quick to add: ”As long as it’s not an oncoming train.”

Hajera Kajee, chef de mission of the South African Olympic team to Athens, has reassured athletes and their families that their safety is a top priority for the National Olympic Committee of South Africa. ”The safety and security of all South African athletes and officials is of paramount importance,” said Kajee on Wednesday.

Athletics South Africa dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when they omitted national 800m champion Hezekiel Sepeng from their Olympic team to Athens in August. ASA chief executive Banele Sindani said that the board had decided not to select the 800m specialist because he had not adhered to strict selection criteria on too many occasions.

Roland Schoeman continued his hot streak on Wednesday, the final night of the Telkom national swimming championships, with a 23,61 seconds African record in the 50m butterfly, while Gerhard Zandberg shone with a South African 100m backstroke record that confirmed his ticket to the Athens Olympics in August.

Roland Schoeman set the world’s fastest 100m freestyle this year when he powered to victory in the final at the Telkom national swimming championships in Durban on Tuesday night. The Northern Titans swimmer, based at university in Tucson, Arizona, swam the race of his life to break his African record in 48,20 seconds.

Ryk Neethling and Roland Schoeman were the sensations at the Telkom SA swimming championships on a night of high passion when amputee Natalie du Toit tried to qualify in the 800m freestyle for the Athens Olympics. Neethling broke his Africa 200m freestyle record for the second time at the championships.

Olympic fever on a scorching Durban day was doused by the cold reality of money concerns at the Absa national athletics championships on Friday when it was discovered that cash incentives promised to the athletes for quality performances were not covered by the sponsors.

Drama in the pole-vault cast a pall over the second Absa series meeting in Potchefstroom on Friday night when Stellenbosch athlete Fanie Jacobs was rushed to hospital after injuring his lower back in dangerous competition conditions. ”We have been warning about something like this happening,” said Africa record-holder Okkert Brits after the event was cancelled.

Sergio Garcia won his second Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Sunday supporting the fight against child abuse in South Africa.

”Nick Price asked me if I would support the campaign against the abuse of chlidren,” said the charismatic Spaniard, indicating the two silver logos pinned to his golf shirt collar. ”And I was only too happy to do it.”