Ten of the best from record-rich Team SA

22 August 2016 - 09:36 By DAVID ISAACSON

Team South Africa checks out of the Rio Games village today having delivered one of the country's most powerful Olympic performances ever. No living South African can remember when we last earned such a dividendComprising stars Caster Semenya, Wayde van Niekerk and Chad le Clos, the class of 2016 equalled the nation's highest tally of 10 medals, achieved only twice before, at Helsinki in 1952 and Antwerp in 1920.Two gold medals, six silvers and two bronzes - not to mention four fourth places - is a dividend that no living South African can remember.It exceeds the two golds, four silvers and four bronzes from Finland 64 years ago, and falls short only of the three golds, four silvers and three bronzes from Belgium almost a century ago. The only downside in Rio was the gold medal count, which is what determines a country's position on the table.Team SA was 24th at London 2012 with three gold medals, but they had slipped a few places with two, lying 27th yesterday morning - making them the second-highest African nation behind Kenya, with five golds among 12 medals at that stage.Here are the top 10 performances:1. Wayde van Niekerk winning the 400m in a 43.03sec world record was the stand-out achievement of these Games.SUPERSTAR: Caster Semenya cleaned up all comers in the 800m Picture: GETTY IMAGES2. Caster Semenya dominated the 800m like she has dominated the season. Not an easy task.COMRADES: Shaun Keeling and Lawrence Brittain won silver in the men's pairs Picture: GETTY IMAGES3. There wasn't a dry eye in the South African section of the stands when cancer survivor Lawrence Brittain and veteran Shaun Keeling finished second in the men's pairs.FLYING: Luvo Manyonga came from nowhere to nab silver in the long jump Picture: GETTY IMAGES4. Luvo Manyonga was at the bottom of the barrel amid his tik addiction, but in less than two years he turned his life around to achieve his unlikely fairy tale of silver in the long jump. ALL SMILES: Chad le Clos was SA's only double medallist in Rio Picture: GETTY IMAGES5. Chad le Clos, known as a butterfly expert, was considered an outsider in the 200m freestyle, but he attacked this race from the start and nearly won gold.CHEERS: Cameron van der Burgh clinched the 100m breaststroke silver Picture: GETTY IMAGES6. Cameron van der Burgh was struggling for form in the heats and semifinals here, but the seasoned veteran produced when it mattered and he clinched the 100m breaststroke silver behind unbeatable Briton Adam Peaty.7. SA's only double medallist in Rio, Chad le Clos, the world champion in the 100m butterfly, should have won gold. But his confidence was shot after ending fourth in the 200m butterfly a few nights earlier. He had to dig deep to make this podium.8. Henri Schoeman (men's triathlon bronze).In bed with fever two days before, underdog Schoeman went out with the leaders and he stuck there, showing grit as others fell off the pace.LOOK SHARP: Sunette Viljoen fought hard for silver in the javelin Picture: GETTY IMAGES9. Sunette Viljoen (women's javelin silver).Viljoen, fourth at London 2012, had a good opening throw to take the early lead, but was unable to improve on that and fight back once she was pushed into second spot.BRONZED: Seabelo Senatla helped SA to third place in the rugby Sevens Picture: GALLO IMAGES10. BlitzBoks (rugby Sevens bronze)Most agree they should have been at least silver medallists. The Commonwealth Games champions had no business losing to Great Britain in the semifinals. But we'll take the medal...

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