Team SA started Friday with 81 medals at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, looking to build on that tally. And they did so in style. They were represented in four codes – arm wrestling, cycling, triathlon and boxing.
Triathlon and cycling added four medals each to that haul. That took the overall Team SA total to 89.
It was a hugely successful day for Team SA. Vicky van der Merwe and Nicholas Quenet both won gold in the triathlon, while Sharne Williams (silver) and Dylan Nortje (bronze) followed them home.
In the cycling, there was another gold for Dylan Geary (elite time trial), a silver for Geary (U23 individual time trial) and bronzes from Lucy Young and Brandon Downes, in the individual time trial.
The Games finish on 23rd March and the upcoming codes featuring Team SA are athletics, arm wrestling, boxing and tennis.
At the 2019 African Games Team SA returned with 83 medals and have already comfortably surpassed that total.
This is how Team SA fared in competition on Friday:
ARM WRESTLING
Men’s left arm qualifications, 75kg
Alec Durand lost to Ekwok Ebi (Nigeria) 1-0
Graham Verwey lost to Godwin Sackey (Ghana) 1-0
Men’s left arm qualifications, 85kg
Frederick Kruger lost to Mohamed Hassanin (Egypt) 1-0
Women’s left arm qualifications, +80kg
Rosemary Botha lost to Gloria Oyewusi (Nigeria) 1-0
Rosemary Botha lost to Yawa Nukunu (Togo) 1-0
Meri Prinsloo beat Victoria Johnson (Sierra Leone) 1-0
Meri Prinsloo beat Mariam Kadri (Ghana) 1-0
CYCLING
Women’s Elite Individual Time Trial
BRONZE! Lucy Young produced a fine effort to place 3rd and take the bronze medal
Men’s Elite Individual Time Trial
SILVER! Dillon Geary claimed the silver medal behind Charles Kagimu in the elite race
GOLD! That above result saw Geary grab gold in the U23 division
BRONZE! Brandon Downes claimed the bronze medal behind Charles Kagimu
TRIATHLON
Women’s final
GOLD! Vicky van der Merwe clinched the gold medal
SILVER! Sharne Williams surged to the silver medal
Men’s final
GOLD! Nicholas Quenet claimed the gold medal
BRONZE! Dylan Nortje came home in 3rd to take the bronze medal
Photo of Dillon Geary by Frennie Shivambu