[imagesource: Twitter / @brumilda21]

The Tokyo Olympics haven’t been a resounding success for Team South Africa.

Yesterday, Wayde van Niekerk failed to qualify for the 400-metre final, meaning any remaining medal hopes rest on the shoulders of athletes who are underdogs in their respective events.

One thing we can and will celebrate is the success of Tatjana Schoenmaker, who arrived back in South Africa yesterday with a gold medal and silver medal in her possession.

Crowds gathered at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome her home, reports TimesLIVE:

Schoenmaker was accompanied by her coach Rocco Meiring and was received by sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa, Sascoc vice-president Lwandile Simelane and her parents, Rene and Renske…

Mthethwa showered Tatjana with praise and thanked the swimmer for carrying the hopes of the nation on her shoulders. “In these troubled times for our nation, you rose to the occasion. The whole of government congratulates you and your family.”

Classic Sascoc (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) – fail our athletes miserably, but rock up for the photo op with a medal winner.

Anything our athletes achieve at the Olympics is in spite of Sascoc, rather than down to the organisation.

But let’s ignore all of that and focus on the scenes of joy and jubilation at OR Tambo:

More hugging, more emotion:

Hey, you know who we haven’t heard from?

Tatjana’s primary school principal, of course.

Don’t stress – News24 is on the case:

South Africa’s only other medallist (as things stand) is surfer Bianca Buitendag, who honed her skills in Victoria Bay after her family moved there when she was 12.

Buitendag has certainly gone out on top, retiring after her surfing silver medal to focus her energy on an NGO based in George that works with vulnerable and orphaned children.

[source:timeslive]