South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
competed at the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's eighteenth participation overall and sixth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics in the post-apartheid era. The
South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) ( af, Suid-Afrikaanse Sportkonfederasie en Olimpiese Komitee) is the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and National Paralympic Committee (NPC) for South Africa, and the respon ...
(SASCOC) sent a total of 125 athletes to the Games, 67 men and 58 women, to compete in 17 sports.
Field hockey
Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...
and
women's football were the only team-based sports in which South Africa were representation at these Olympic games. There was only a single competitor in archery, BMX cycling, judo, shooting and weightlifting.
Notable South African athletes included track stars
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (; ; born 22 November 1986) is a South African convicted murderer and former professional sprinter. Both of his feet were amputated when he was 11 months old owing to a congenital defect; he was born missing the o ...
and
Caster Semenya
Mokgadi Caster Semenya OIB (born 7 January 1991) is a South African middle-distance runner and winner of two Olympic gold medals and three World Championships in the women's 800 metres. She first won gold at the World Championships in 2009 ...
. Pistorius, a four-time Paralympic champion, set South Africa's historical record as the first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics. Semenya, a middle-distance runner and a world champion who had been subjected to gender testing in 2009, became the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. The South African team also featured past Olympic medalists, including swimmer
Roland Mark Schoeman
Roland Mark Schoeman OIS (born 4 July 1980) is a South African American swimmer and was a member of the South African swimming team at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. In May 2022, he officially became United States citizen.
Ca ...
, who won a full set of medals in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, and long jumper
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena (born 6 March 1985 in Heidelberg, South Africa) is a South African athlete who specializes in the long jump and triple jump.
Early life and family
He started his school education at Shalimar Ridge Primary School in Heide ...
, who took silver in
Beijing
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Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
.
After suffering a major setback in Beijing, South Africa recaptured its previous successes in London with a total of six Olympic medals (four gold, one silver, and one bronze). Among the nation's medalists were swimmers
Cameron van der Burgh
Cameron van der Burgh OIS (born 25 May 1988) is a retired South African competitive swimmer and hedge fund analyst. He is Africa's first home-trained world record holder and individual male Olympic Champion. He is married to long time partne ...
and
Chad le Clos
Chad Guy Bertrand le Clos, OIS (born 12 April 1992) is a South African competitive swimmer who is an Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games champion. He is the African record, Commonwealth record, and South African record holder in the short ...
, who each won gold in their events, with Le Clos also winning a silver. Van der Burgh broke both an Olympic record and a world record in men's breaststroke swimming. Meanwhile, le Clos surpassed the defending champion
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold me ...
to claim the title in one of the men's butterfly events. For the first time in its history, South Africa won Olympic medals in rowing and in sprint canoeing.
Medalists
, width=78% align=left valign=top ,
, width=22% align=left valign=top ,
Archery
Athletics
South African athletes have entered the following events:
;Key
*
Note – Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
*
Q = Qualified for the next round
*
q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser ''or'', in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
*
NR = National record
*
N/A = Round not applicable for the event
*
Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
;Men
Ofentse Mogawane
Ofentse Mogawane (born 20 February 1982) is a former South African sprinter who specialized in the 400 meters.
Career
He finished sixth in the 2006 African Championships. He also competed at the 2005 World Championships and the 2006 Commonweal ...
was injured in a crash during the first heat of the 4 × 400 m relay. On appeal, South Africa was entered into the final with
Louis van Zyl
Louis Jacobus van Zyl (born 20 July 1985), better known as L. J. van Zyl, is a South African athlete competing in the 400 metre hurdles. He is the South African record holder in the event with a personal best of 47.66 seconds, which he ach ...
replacing Mogawane.
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (; ; born 22 November 1986) is a South African convicted murderer and former professional sprinter. Both of his feet were amputated when he was 11 months old owing to a congenital defect; he was born missing the o ...
made Olympic history, becoming the first double leg amputee ever to participate in the Olympic Games.
![Mens 400m semi final 2 - Oscar Pistorius Nigel Levine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Mens_400m_semi_final_2_-_Oscar_Pistorius_Nigel_Levine.jpg)
;Track & road events
* Allowed into final on appeal
;Field events
;Combined events –
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in Athletics (sport), athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek language, Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ...
;Women
;Track & road events
;Field events
Badminton
Boxing
South Africa has entered boxers for the following events
;Men
Canoeing
Sprint
South Africa has entered canoeists for the following events
Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)
Cycling
South Africa has entered nine cyclists.
Road
Track
;Sprint
Mountain biking
File:MTB cycling 2012 Olympics M cross-country RSA Burry Stander.jpg, Burry Stander
Burry Willie Stander (16 September 1987 – 3 January 2013) was a South African mountain biker, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup under-23 men's cross-country 2009 world champion.
In the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, Stander finished 1 ...
File:MTB cycling 2012 Olympics M cross-country RSA Philip Buys.jpg, Philip Buys
Philip Buys (30 September 1988, Durban) is a South African cross-country mountain biker. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Cycling at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's cross-country, Men's cross-country at Hadleigh Farm, finishin ...
File:Candice Neethling olympics 2012.jpg, Candice Neethling
BMX
Equestrian
Eventing
Field hockey
South Africa has qualified for both the men's and the women's event.
* Men's team event – 1 team of 16 players
* Women's team event – 1 team of 16 players
Men's tournament
;Roster
;Group play
;11th/12th place
Women's tournament
;Roster
;Group play
;9th/10th place
Football
South Africa is qualified for the women's event.
* Women's team event – 1 team of 18 players
Women's tournament
;Team roster
;Group play
Judo
Rowing
South Africa has entered the following events.
;Men
;Women
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Sailing
South Africa has entered one boat for the following event.
;Men
M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;
Shooting
South Africa has entered one competitor in shooting;
;Men
Swimming
Twenty South African swimmers have entered the following events:
;Men
;Women
Triathlon
South Africa has entered one man and two women.
Volleyball
Beach
Weightlifting
South Africa has entered one weightlifter.
See also
*
South Africa at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
*
South Africa at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:South Africa At The 2012 Summer Olympics
Nations at the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
Summer Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...