Athletics South Africa (ASA) on Friday, 30 October, released an updated preparation squad in the build-up towards the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics that will now run from 30 July – 8 August 2021.
The preparation squad to the Games which was postponed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, now consists of 43 athletes in the individual events (32 men and 11 women) and features all of South Africa’s four Track and Field medallists from the Rio 2016 Olympics – Wayde Van Niekerk (400m), Luvo Manyonga (Long Jump), Caster Semenya (800m) and Sunette Viljoen (Javelin).
Other big names listed are Akani Simbine, Clarence Munyai and in-form marathoner Stephen Mokoka.
Alongside the athletes listed for the individual events, 15 athletes were also listed as a part of the men’s and women’s sprint relay squads.
All of the athletes listed will be allowed opportunities to train on home soil, starting from a revised national fixtures list in November and December that will include various events, while complying strictly with health and safety measures.
In the media release, after the 2021 World Athletics Relays to hold on 1 May in Silesia, Poland, a preliminary national athletics team to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics would be submitted to the South Africa Sports Confederation and Olympics Committee (SASOC).
