Sascoc name downsized team for African Games

Funding cuts have resulted in a drastically downsized SA team for the African Games in Rabat from August 16-31.

The squad of 153 athletes and officials that was named by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) is missing the nation’s top-performing stars.

There’s no Chad Le Clos or Luvo Manyonga — two of the Olympic medallists from the 2016 Rio Games — nor Commonwealth Games champions‚ sprinter Akani Simbine and breaststroke queen Tatjana Schoenmaker.

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Banyana Banyana and the men’s under-23 football team are also not on the roster.

Inclusion was offered only to codes where Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020 was at stake.

The side does boast Sunette Viljoen‚ the Olympic javelin silver medallist from 2016 who is still looking to find her form‚ and 2012 Olympic kayaking bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley.

“Previously we have sent a big team of almost 300 athletes‚ but as highlighted before‚ this year it will be impossible to send a team of 300 people due to financial constraints‚” Sascoc president Gideon Sam said in a statement.

“However‚ though the team is lean‚ it is a strong team of experienced athletes and we mostly included the athletes who will use these games as a qualifier for Olympic Games.”

The likes of Le Clos‚ Manyonga‚ Simbine and Schoenmaker have already achieved qualifying times for Tokyo 2020.

In total SA will compete in only 11 of the 26 codes that will be on offer in Morocco‚ and they will have a tough time staying in the top three on the medals table‚ where they have camped since returning from isolation in the 1990s.

The cycling team has yet to be announced.

Team SA:

Archery: Rhyn Potgieter‚ Vivien De Klerk‚ Morgan Blewett‚ Carien Whitehead.

Coaches and management: Johan Steyn

Athletics:

Emile Erasmus‚ Thandolwenkosi Dlodlo‚ Chederick van Wyk‚ Gardeo Isaacs‚ Thapelo Phora‚ Derick Mokaleng‚ Ashley Hlongwane‚ Ranti Dikgale‚ Tshepo Tshite‚ Ruan de Vries‚ Antonio Alkana‚ Lindsey Hanekom‚ Sokwakhana Zazini‚ Mpho Links‚ Breyton Poole‚ Wayne Snyman‚ Orazio Cremona‚ Kyle Blignaut‚ Victor Hogan‚ Tebogo Mamatu‚ Tamzin Thomas‚ Justine Palframan‚ Danel Holton‚ Taylon Bield‚ Zeney van der Walt‚ Wenda Nel‚ Julia du Plessis‚ Linique Beneke‚ Zinzi Chabangu‚ Patience Ntshingila‚ Ischke Senekal‚ Meike Strydom‚ Yolandi Stander‚ Margo-Chene Pretorius‚ Marga Cumming‚ Sunette Viljoen‚ Jo-Ane van Dyk

Coaches and management: John Mathane‚ Paul Gorries‚ Irma Reyneke‚ DP Badenhost

Badminton:

Ruan Snyman‚ Bongani von Bodenstein‚ Jared Elliot‚ Sean Noone‚ Jason Mann‚ Johanita Scholtz‚ Megan de Beer‚ Leah Schoeman

Coaches and management: Stewart Carson.

Beach volleyball:

Grant Goldschmidt‚ Leo Williams

Coach and management: Gershon Rorich

Canoeing:

Esti Van Tonder‚ Donna Hutton‚ Bridgitte Hartley‚ Nosipho Mthembu‚ Chrisjan Coetzee‚ Alex Masina‚ Louis Hattingh‚ Jarryd Gibson

Coaches and management: Wayne August‚ Janet Simpkins.

Judo:

Unelle Snyman‚ Genoray Whitebooi‚ Jasmine Martin‚ Siyabulela Mabulu‚ Devan Stemmet.

Coaches and management: Nicola Filipov‚ Vivienne Henry.

Swimming:

Erin Gallagher‚ Kaylene Corbett‚ Jessica Whelan‚ Sinelithemba Mbatha‚ Emma Chelius‚ Carla Tina Antonopoulos‚ Samantha Randle‚ Christin Mundell‚ Kerryn Herbst‚ Michael Houlie‚ Michael McGlynn‚ Christopher Reid‚ Ryan Coetzee‚ Douglas Erasmus‚ Alaric Basson‚ Alard Basson‚ Roberto Gomes‚ Brent Szurdoki‚ Neil Fair‚ Martin Binedell‚ Mohammad Warley‚ Bradley Tandy‚ Ayrton Sweeney‚ Eben Vorster.

Coaches and management: Nonkululeko Mngadi‚ Graham Hill‚ Debbie McLeod‚ Mark Edge.

Table tennis:

Danisha Patel‚ Simeen Mookrey‚ Palesa Mtshoelibe‚ Mthabiseng Mtshoelibe‚ Kurt Lingeveldt‚ Theo Cogill‚ Byrone Abrahams‚ Cade Peters.

Coaches and managers: Omar Zaineddin‚ Ashlyn Wagner.

Tennis:

Chanel Simmonds.

Coaches and managers: Asnath Sebati.

Weightlifting:

Johani Taljaard‚ Mona Pretorius‚ Lyle Du Plooy.

Coaches and manager: Stephen Cupido.