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Team South Africa’s Friday Results

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on Team South Africa’s Friday Results

Team South Africa had phenomenal results on Friday, including a SA Record for Adriaan Wildschutt

Athletics: 
Men’s 10 000m, final
Adrian Wildschutt set a new South African record of 26:50.64 in the men’s 10,000m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday. He finished the race in an impressive but exhausting performance under the stadium lights. The gold medal went to Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who set an Olympic record of 27:24.25.

Wildschutt kept pace with the leading pack for most of the race and was in fourth place after 7000m. He only faded in the final lap. Reflecting on his performance, Wildschutt said, “I thought I ran really smart. I moved up and got myself in an amazing position. It was only in the last 300m that I started struggling. I’m very satisfied and grateful for everything I’ve accomplished so far.”

He added that his strategy, discussed with his coach, was to conserve energy and be ready for a fast final 1000m.

Women’s 800m, round 1, heats
Prudence Sekgodiso qualified for the 800m semifinals with a time of 1:59.84, finishing second in her heat. Despite the competitive nature of the heats, Sekgodiso comfortably secured her spot by following her race plan and staying relaxed.

She expressed her excitement, saying, “Everything went according to plan, and now I’ve made it to the semis.” After finishing behind Daily Cooper Gaspar of Cuba, Sekgodiso looked forward to the semifinals, noting the amazing crowd and her focus on sticking to her plan. “I’ve been running sub-two minutes for a long time. I made my move, gave it my all, and pushed through to come second. Now I’m getting my mind and body ready for the semi-final.”

Men’s shotput, qualification, Group B
Shot putter Kyle Blignaut failed to qualify for the final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His throw of 20.78m placed him seventh in his group, just missing the top six needed to advance.

Reflecting on his performance, Blignaut said, “I feel in great form and have been working hard, but it’s not meant to be. I’ll have to wait another four years for the next Olympics.” He added that he hoped to honor his late coach, Pierre Blignaut, and looks forward to competing in future events like the world championships and Commonwealth Games. With a new Italian coach, Blignaut aims to be on the podium at the 2028 Olympics.

Men’s 1500m, round 1
Ryan Mphahlele finished 12th in his heat in 3:38.48, placing him 38th overall and into the repechage.
Tshepo Tshite finished 13th in his heat in 3:36.87, placing him 23rd overall and into the repechage.
The repechage races will be run on Saturday, the 3rd of August.

Rowing: Men’s Pair Final B 
Christopher Baxter and John Smith finished their Paris 2024 journey
with a 3rd place finish in the Men’s Pair Final B race. This result places
them 9th overall out of the 18 teams that competed.

Swimming: 
Men’s 100m Butterfly – Heats
Chad le Clos finished 2nd in his heat but was unable to reach the semi-finals, finishing 24th overall. In the same heat, Matthew Sates finished 7th in 54.53, which placed him 35th overall, also missing the top 16 semi-finalists.

Women’s 200m Individual Medley – Heats & Semi Final
Rebecca Meder finished 5th in her semi-final race, placing 11th overall, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Earlier in the day, she finished 4th in her heat in 2:11.96, which secured her the 16th and last remaining spot in the evening’s semi-finals.
 
Golf: Individual Stroke Play – Round 2
Scores after Round 2: Erik van Rooyen is tied for 10th place (-6) after scoring 2 under par, 69; and Christiaan Bezuidenhout is tied for 35th place (-1) after scoring an even par, 71, on day 2.

Hockey: Men
Team South Africa’s men’s hockey team finished their Paris 2024 competition with a 5-2 win over hosts, France.

Team South Africa’s Thursday Results

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on Team South Africa’s Thursday Results

Team South Africa finished the day with brilliant results on Thursday, including Tatjana Smith securing herself a silver medal! 

Swimming:
Women’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

Tatjana Smith made Olympic history by winning a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke at the Paris La Defense Arena. The South African superstar finished just 0.36 seconds behind American Kate Douglass. This was Smith’s second medal of the 2024 Paris Games, having already won gold in the 100m breaststroke.

Smith now ties with Chad le Clos as the greatest South African Olympian, each with four medals, but she surpasses him with her two golds and two silvers. She also joins Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima as one of the only four-time breaststroke medallists in Olympic history.

Despite leading at the 50m mark, Smith was overtaken by Douglass, who secured the gold with strong turns. Smith’s impressive performance earned her a well-deserved silver.

Kaylene Corbett, finished seventh and has been instrumental in Smith’s success.

Tatjana Smith has announced her retirement after becoming South Africa’s most successful Olympian at the 2024 Paris Games. The 27-year-old, who always emphasized that swimming doesn’t define her, is looking forward to life outside the pool. 

Married late last year and approaching her thirties, Smith said, “I’m looking forward to my life outside of swimming.” Smith wants to be remembered for bringing people joy, not just her achievements.

Men’s 200m Individual Medley – Heats
Matthew Sates finished 6th in his heat, and 21st overall. His position was unfortunately not enough to qualify for the next round.

Men’s 200m Backstroke – Final
Pieter Coetze finished 7th in the final on the evening. His effort was not enough for a medal, but he did set a New African Record, with a time of 1:55.60

Golf: Men
Scores after Round1: Erik van Rooyen Tied 6th (-4), Christiaan Bezuidenhout Tied 29th (-1).

Erik van Rooyen had a strong first round at the 2024 Paris Olympics, shooting six birdies and an eagle. He was poised to finish with a 65, just two shots behind leader Hideki Matsuyama, but a double bogey on the 18th hole dropped him to four-under 67.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, in his second Olympics, finished with a 71, recording three birdies and two bogeys. Both golfers noted that the course favored making birdies with accurate drives and aggressive approaches.

Van Rooyen’s round included a notable eagle on the 9th hole and a stretch of four birdies in six holes from the 12th to the 17th. Despite the tough finish, he was pleased with his performance and optimistic about the upcoming rounds.

Hockey: Women – Pool B
Team South Africa’s women had a close loss against Spain, going down 1 – 0 in the team’s penultimate match.
Team South Africa next faces the United States of America on Saturday, 3 August.

Cycling BMX Racing: Women’s Quarter Finals
Miyanda Maseti finished 8th in her Quarter final run. The position does not allow her to progress to the next round.

Archery: Men’s Individual 1/32 Elimination Round
Wian lost to Kim Je Deok, the double gold medallist from Tokyo, with scores of: 25 – 29 | 25 – 29 | 29 -30. Wian finished 33rd overall

Surfing: Women’s Third Round, Heats
Team South Africa’s Sarah Baum was eliminated in the heat in round 3 of the competition by USA’s Carissa Moore.

Team South Africa’s Wednesdays Results

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on Team South Africa’s Wednesdays Results

Team South Africa had some incredible results from Wednesday, 31 August. 

Triathlon: Women’s Individual
Vicky van der Merwe put in a fighting effort to finish 46th in the Women’s Triathlon race early on Wednesday morning

Rowing: Women’s Single Sculls Semi Finals C/D
Paige Badenhorst finished 1st in her semi final race in the C/D section of the competition. She will next compete in the C Final, where she will battle for the 13th 18th position overall.
She races on Saturday, 3 August.

Triathlon: Men’s Individual
Henri Schoeman and Jamie Riddle finished 20th and 25th, respectively, in the Men’s Triathlon race that was postponed from Tuesday.
Conditions were challenging both in and out of the water for the Paris 2024 Olympic triathlon. The race was postponed due to high E. coli levels in the River Seine. Team SA members, Schoeman (20th) and Riddle (25th), noted the mental strain of the delay but highlighted the difficult swimming conditions. Schoeman leveraged his lifesaving background to gain an early advantage but fell short on the run. Riddle, despite his experience with strong currents, was surprised by the water’s strength and suffered leg cramps. 

Hockey: Women
Team South Africa’s women continued their streak of scoring in every match played at these Games. However, today’s effort was not enough to see them past Great Britain, going down by a single goal: 2-1.

Both South Africa and Great Britain entered their match at the 2024 Paris Games seeking their first win. Great Britain triumphed 2-1, leaving Team SA at the bottom of Pool B with three losses. Despite leading 1-0 early from a deflected shot by Kayla de Waal, South Africa couldn’t maintain their advantage. Amy Costello equalized for Great Britain, and Hannah French scored the winning goal. South Africa missed several opportunities to level the score. Edith Molikoe expressed disappointment but optimism for the remaining games.

Rowing: Men’s Pair: 
Team South Africa’s men’s pair, Christopher Baxter and John Smith, finished 4th in their race just outside of the qualification position for the finals.
The pair will next race on Friday, 2 August to battle it out for the 7th – 12th position.

Swimming: Men’s 200m Backstroke
Pieter Coetze finished 2nd in his semi final race, and qualifies for the final on Thursday evening. Earlier in the day Pieter swam the third fastest time overall in the morning heats.

Swimming: Women’s 200m Breaststroke
Tatjana Smith and Kaylene Corbett both made it through their semi final races, and qualified for the final race on Thursday, 1 August.
Tatjana Smith aims for gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke at the 2024 Paris Games to become South Africa’s greatest Olympian with four medals. She already has two golds and one silver. Despite a recent loss to Kate Douglass, Smith is favored for gold. Kaylene Corbett also qualified for her finals, with Corbett potentially joining Smith on the podium. Smith’s training under coach Rocco Meiring, along with her recent 100m gold, bolsters confidence in her success.

Hockey: Men
Team South Africa’s played to a 3- 0 defeat against Spain in their penultimate pool match.
The Poll A hockey match between Team SA and Spain at the 2024 Paris Olympics was played without spectators due to a weather evacuation. Both teams struggled in the silent, empty stadium, ending the first quarter goalless. Spain’s Marc Reyne scored after South Africa received a yellow card, leading 1-0 at halftime. South Africa’s efforts to equalize were thwarted, including a disallowed goal and a saved penalty stroke. Spain capitalized on defensive errors, adding two more goals to win 3-0, eliminating Team SA from the Games.


How Team South Africa Performed on Tuesday

Tanika LaskeyFeatures, NewsLeave a Comment on How Team South Africa Performed on Tuesday

Team SA began Tuesday with three medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, thanks to Alan Hatherly and Tatjana Smith’s contributions on Monday. On Tuesday, our athletes are competing in five different sports.

Rowing:  Women’s Single Sculls, Quarter-Finals
Paige Bandenhorst finished fourth in her quarter-final. The top three from each of the four heats advance to semi-finals A/B, while the remaining competitors go to semi-finals C/D.
Therefore, Bandenhorst will be competing for places 13th to 24th.

Swimming: Men’s 200m Butterfly, Heats
Matthew Sates finished 6th with a time of 1:57.04, placing him 20th overall and missing a spot in the semi-finals.

Cycling (BMX):  Men’s Park Qualification
Vincent Leygonie did not finish in the top 9 and was eliminated after placing 12th with a points average of 75.85 over two runs.

Rugby Sevens
Women’s 11th/12th pace playoff: Team SA 21 Fiji 15

Men’s Hockey
Men’s Pool A: Team SA 1 Germany 5

Team South Africa’s men’s hockey players continued their demanding schedule by playing their third match in four days at the 2024 Paris Olympics, this time facing Germany. On Tuesday they went down 5-1 to sixth-ranked Germany.

Having previously defeated Germany at Tokyo 2020, Team SA aimed to deliver another memorable performance, hoping to honor head coach Cheslin Gie’s birthday. However, Germany quickly took the lead. In the final minute of the first quarter, Christopher Ruhr doubled Germany’s lead with a penalty stroke.

Justus Weigand extended the lead to 3-0 when he scored from within the circle. Despite a good chance for South Africa, the shot went wide. The second period was uneventful, and Germany maintained their 3-0 lead at halftime.

Early in the second half, South African goalkeeper Gowan Jones made several saves before a counterattack almost resulted in a goal for South Africa, earning applause from the crowd. South Africa then won a penalty corner, which Matt Guise-Brown converted to make it 3-1. However, Germany soon restored their three-goal advantage with a penalty corner goal by Gonzalo Peillat.

South Africa had another penalty corner opportunity after good work from Bili Ntuli, but Mustapha Cassiem’s shot was saved, and his rebound went over the crossbar. In the final minutes, a defensive error allowed Mats Grambusch to score Germany’s fifth goal with a brilliant shot into the top right corner.

Despite the defeat, South Africa now turns its focus to the next game against Spain on Wednesday, where they will compete for potential quarter-final places.

Photo by: Mimmo Perna

So Much More Than Just a Watch!

Roxanne MartinTried & Tested3 Comments on So Much More Than Just a Watch!

The HUAWEI GT3 RUNNER Reviewed

Avid trail runner, open water swimmer and photographer by profession, Barbara Cole, was more than willing to test the new HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner and share her views on it with us.

Unboxing & First Impression

The watch really has a super-premium look and feel, and it really struck me how light it was when I first took it out the box. Wearing it around my training crew only reinforced my first impressions, with so many comments of how slick it looked, and again, how light it was. You don’t realise you are wearing a watch until you look at your wrist. The only wish-list item I would ask for is that the watch came with interchangeable watch straps, so you can change it to match different looks, and add some colour, but that’s just me.

Design

The watch looks great, but it is still tough enough to handle some proper wear and tear, showing that it is manufactured using premium and robust materials. I love that you can tailor-make the face of the watch with multiple faces that you can download off the app, and I had a lot of fun with this feature. I also love that one of the watches features like your heart rate analysis are a simple touch away off the main screen, while your current heart rate is shown all the time.

The only problem I experienced, which is more of a pet-hate for me, was that I had to deliberately lift my arm every time I wanted to see the time. Personally, I would prefer an option to show the screen all the time, albeit on a dimmer light, but still playing around to see what I prefer.

User Experience

I absolutely love the user experience of the watch in terms of the touch screen. It’s amazing, and makes it so easy to navigate between settings, as well as being super responsive, too. With one button on the side of the watch to access the main menu of options, it was super easy to navigate between all settings. You very quickly get used to how the touch screen operates. And if you’re like me, you aren’t a manual reading type person, you will still easily be able to find your way around the watch.

I found the set-up incredibly easy, downloaded the app to my phone, and linked the two easily. The only issue I did have was linking the device to my Discovery App in order to track my activities for Vitality, but to be honest, I don’t think it’s a Huawei issue.

Workout Modes Used

I’m currently nursing an injury, so not actively running, and thus I used the following modes:

  • Indoor Swimming
  • Indoor Cycling
  • Open Water Swimming
  • Outdoor Walk

What I loved

I loved the open water swimming mode! It picked up my heart rate so quickly and read it accurately, even in the water. What was super interesting here was that it recorded my distance in steps, too, adding to my daily step goal, so I’m definitely not complaining! I am concerned about long-term wear and tear from the salt water, but this watch seems to be built for it.

The detail in terms of each session that you can look at on the watch after a session is incredible, and then the extension into your app on your phone is there if you want to find out more, giving you a wealth of stats and figures after a workout. The options in terms of workouts available is also pretty impressive, with just about every activity I could think of.

Battery Life

This was excellent! They say you’ll get 14 days on the lowest energy mode, and on average my battery life was around 10 to 12 days, including workout modes, which I used most days. So, using all the features of the watch, still got me to just under two weeks. What was also great is that it charges very quickly, going from 5% to 95% in an hour on the wireless charger.

Health Integration Features

Sleep Tracking: I really like this feature, and although I am not one to sleep with my watch on, when I did so, the watch was very accurate in terms of sleep time and patterns. It was also insightful for me to see the level of detailed feedback you get from the watch when downloaded into the app, explaining sleep cycles and how much REM sleep versus Deep Sleep you get, and what this means.

Stress Management: This is not really a feature I would normally pay much attention to, but it was interesting to see that it did correlate to times where I was more stressed. I think the extension of this is how you then manage your stress levels, so that your Central Nervous System is not stressed continually at a level that is detrimental to your health.

GPS Accuracy: The watch supports five satellite systems, which should make it very accurate, but when I did compare it, in one open water swim, to another watch, the readings were slightly different. That said, the Huawei does recalibrate all the time, so I would imagine it would be more accurate overall, and the important point to note here is that it did accurately track the route I followed.

Fun Features I Enjoyed

  • Barometer
  • Compass

Last Thoughts

Overall, I really love this watch! The one obvious drawback, though, is that it’s not supported by STRAVA, and I think that’s pretty important, particularly with who their target market might be in terms of being performance-driven. Hopefully this is something that is addressed in the near future. The other drawback is that some features don’t work with an apple iPhone system, and the watch is better with an Android system.

On the whole, I think a watch like this can contribute to one making better decisions for yourself in terms of your health, as well as being more aware of how your body is reacting to daily situations, and what steps you need to take to counteract any negative impacts on your health. If a watch was a motivator to get moving, this would be it!

Best Trisuit I’ve Ever Used!

Roxanne MartinTried & TestedLeave a Comment on Best Trisuit I’ve Ever Used!

I already knew the great reputation of 2XU products, but I was still blown away by the new 2XU Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit. Here’s what I found after putting it through its paces, in swim, bike and run tests. – by Alistair Cronk

You don’t just claim to be the World’s Best Technical Sportswear brand for nothing… and the latest Trisuit from 2XU pulls out all the stops! The Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit has all the features a triathlete could ask for, and nothing has been spared to provide athletes with the best possible trisuit on the market. The manufacturer has used an array of different fabrics to give you the best possible fit, feel and comfort while still providing you with a world-class product!

The 2XU brand, pronounced Two Times You, has been around since 2005. Launched in Melbourne, Australia and starting out as a specialist run and triathlon brand, 2XU is particularly renowned for its compression wear, but all its technical gear is top class, and thus I was really excited to be asked to test this new trisuit.

At First Glance

In life, I have always believed that if you look good, you feel good. Holding this trisuit in my hands for the first time, I could just feel the quality. The entire suit has been designed and manufactured to the highest standards, and I could not wait to try it on.

I will admit that I was a little sceptical about the compression at first, wondering how I was going to get into the Trisuit, but boy, what a fit! It feels instantly comfortable thanks to its panelled cut and flatlock stitching. Also, it’s supportive without being restrictive, and offers more freedom of movement than you might expect. With the jacket top and full zip, it makes getting the suit on and off even easier, especially for those ‘nature breaks.’

The Suit Essentials

Part of the Trisuit is made of Swiss Vent fabric, which was designed and created in accordance with 2XU’s testing by RMIT University. This material’s matrix knit allows the Trisuit to breathe while using Coldblack technology to offer protection from the sun on those hot South African race days.

Italian SBR Vent fabric is used on the suit’s arms and chest, designed to provide cooling while still being aerodynamic, with elbow-length sleeves that also give extra protection from the sun. When worn under a wetsuit, I found little to no difference to my stroke, with no pulling on the shoulders giving you that restricted feel. There are two easy-access open pockets on the back that will hold your race-day nutrition.

While the top is already enough to blow your mind, it’s when you move down to the shorts that the real difference comes in… The breathable, aerodynamic material selection is complimented by the added feature of compression, provided by the latest 105D Power Mesh, which allows for greater power output and less muscle oscillation, and thus reduced muscle fatigue during all three legs of a triathlon.

Secondly, the pad is always an important element of a trisuit, especially on those longer races, and the inclusion of the PRO LD Chamois, which is a multi-layered design with low water-absorption foam made in Italy exclusively for 2XU, gives this suit still better performance!

Put to the Test

I was impressed with the Trisuit in the water, both with and without a wetsuit. There was no feeling of drag and hindrance during the swim, and the compression around the legs in the water opened a whole new world, allowing me to deliver a stronger kick. So, when those races with the “no wetsuit swim” come round, this trisuit will deliver, allowing you to glide through the water without the usual feeling of drag or speed-loss.

On the bike, I found the pad to be comfortable for those long sections while on the bars, and although the compression felt a little restrictive at first while in this position, it soon loosened up a little to allow me to perform at my best. On my runs – and once again I can’t stress this enough – the compression around the legs made me feel like I can go harder for longer.

Testing it during the hotter days of early spring, I found the Trisuit kept me cool, and I have no doubt that it will be great to race in it during our hot summer days. I know this because I tested the suit in the heat of the day, and found that I never experience that overheating feeling, but if you are one of those athletes that runs a little on the hot side, the full zip allows for extra cooling.

The correct size of suit is always important, and I found this snug-fitting suit to have no flapping, but it still felt comfortable at the same time. Furthermore, the cleverly designed panelling makes this suit both fast and comfortable. Chaffing was non-existent, as the suit panelling, stitching and the soft edges of the pad and all designed with the athlete in mind. I am not saying you should throw the ‘speed grease’ away, but test the Trisuit for yourself and you’ll see how smooth and comfortable it is.

My Takeaways

I have raced both long- and short-course races, full and half Ironman events, and I have not come across a suit to top the 2XU Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit. This is by far the most comfortable and rewarding trisuit I have tried. Of course, in order to properly review a product, you do need to point out any downsides, and the only one I could find was that I think the pockets on the back could be a little bigger, especially for the brands that offer bigger gels.

But after having tested the 2XU Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit, I would not hesitate in recommending this trisuit to all levels of triathlete. The 2XU diehard fans have probably got their Trisuit on order already, but for those looking for a new trisuit, this would be the one. With its technical and protective fabrics, the comfort and outstanding compression performance across all three legs, the 2XU Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit is one of the best trisuits on the market, ideal for all long-course and short-course athletes, and will be one less thing to worry about on race day.

Get it Here

The 2XU Compression Full Zip Sleeved Trisuit retails at R3499 and can be ordered at https://2xu.co.za/collections/trisuits/products/mt5516d-mens-compression-full-zip-sleeved-trisuit