Paris 2024: Sascoc adds additional 81 athletes to SA's Olympics team

With the Paris Olympics fast approaching, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) on Wednesday announced additional names and sporting codes for next month's multi-sporting event.

Last month, Team SA confirmed an initial 39 athletes at Olympic House in Melrose, which included disciplines like aquatics, surfing and sport climbing.

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Team SA is looking to compete in 17 of the 32 Olympic sports on offer, with many still having the opportunity to qualify between now and the start of the Games on 28 July.

On Wednesday evening, Sascoc revealed 81 additional names across nine disciplines for next month's Olympics.

Making his fourth Olympic appearance is former 2012 London Olympic gold medallist, rower John Smith, who equals the tally of the most Olympic appearances by a South African. In his third Olympic appearance is 2016 Rio bronze medallist Henri Schoeman, who will compete in the triathlon.

Fencer Harry Saner will make Olympic history by becoming the first South African to qualify for fencing in over two decades.

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The Blitzboks still need to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and take part in qualifying in Monaco this weekend, while the women's preliminary sevens rugby squad has been announced with the final team to be confirmed before the end of June cut-off.

Other codes to still be finalised include golf, judo, equestrian, skateboarding, beach volleyball and cycling.

In addition, Sascoc further revealed financial incentives for medallists, with the R400 000 to be awarded to gold medallists, R200 000 for silver and R100 000 for