1920 — Robert Bodley, Ferdinand Buchanan, George Harvey, Fred Morgan and David Smith win Olympic silver in the now-defunct men’s prone 600-metre team military rifle event at the Antwerp Games. That made Morgan Smith South Africa’s oldest medallist at 42 years and two days. Smith, who was born in Scotland, was 40 years, three months and 23 days at the time.
1980 — Cuban Teofilo Stevenson becomes the first heavyweight boxer to win three Olympic golds, winning his final third at the Moscow Games.
2009 — Gerhard Zandberg wins South Africa's third medal of the swimming world championships, taking bronze in the men’s 50m backstroke to add to the gold and bronze won by Cameron van der Burgh.
2012 — Sizwe Ndlovu becomes South Africa's second black Olympic champion as he and his three rowing teammates win gold in the lightweight men’s four at the London Games. They unleashed a powerful finale over the second half of the 2,000m course to snatch victory in a tight race where the first three crews were separated by less than half a second. Ndlovu, the stroke, John Smith, Matthew Brittain and James Thompson clocked 6 min 02.84 sec to edge out Britain (6:03.09) and defending champions Denmark (6:03.16). World champions Australia were fourth in 6:04.05. That performance earned the South Africans crew of the year at the annual World Rowing awards. That was also South Africa’s first Olympic gold medal outside athletics and swimming since the previous London Games in 1948, when boxers won two titles.
2023 — Thembi Kgatlana scores in injury time to complete Banyana Banyana’s magnificent 3-2 fight back against Italy in their final Group G match in Wellington, securing the women’s first ever World Cup victory and ensuring their passage to the last 16 — the first time any South African football team advanced to the knockout stages. The Italians took an early 1-0 lead through an Arianna Caruso penalty but Banyana equalised after an own goal by Benedetta Orsi before half time. Hildah Magaia put SA into a 2-1 lead before Caruso equalised.
Games history
Olympics day in history: SA wins gold in the lightweight men’s four at London Games
Today in Olympic history: August 2
1920 — Robert Bodley, Ferdinand Buchanan, George Harvey, Fred Morgan and David Smith win Olympic silver in the now-defunct men’s prone 600-metre team military rifle event at the Antwerp Games. That made Morgan Smith South Africa’s oldest medallist at 42 years and two days. Smith, who was born in Scotland, was 40 years, three months and 23 days at the time.
1980 — Cuban Teofilo Stevenson becomes the first heavyweight boxer to win three Olympic golds, winning his final third at the Moscow Games.
2009 — Gerhard Zandberg wins South Africa's third medal of the swimming world championships, taking bronze in the men’s 50m backstroke to add to the gold and bronze won by Cameron van der Burgh.
2012 — Sizwe Ndlovu becomes South Africa's second black Olympic champion as he and his three rowing teammates win gold in the lightweight men’s four at the London Games. They unleashed a powerful finale over the second half of the 2,000m course to snatch victory in a tight race where the first three crews were separated by less than half a second. Ndlovu, the stroke, John Smith, Matthew Brittain and James Thompson clocked 6 min 02.84 sec to edge out Britain (6:03.09) and defending champions Denmark (6:03.16). World champions Australia were fourth in 6:04.05. That performance earned the South Africans crew of the year at the annual World Rowing awards. That was also South Africa’s first Olympic gold medal outside athletics and swimming since the previous London Games in 1948, when boxers won two titles.
2023 — Thembi Kgatlana scores in injury time to complete Banyana Banyana’s magnificent 3-2 fight back against Italy in their final Group G match in Wellington, securing the women’s first ever World Cup victory and ensuring their passage to the last 16 — the first time any South African football team advanced to the knockout stages. The Italians took an early 1-0 lead through an Arianna Caruso penalty but Banyana equalised after an own goal by Benedetta Orsi before half time. Hildah Magaia put SA into a 2-1 lead before Caruso equalised.