Home » Warm (and LOUD) Welcome Home for South Africa’s Olympic Heroes

Warm (and LOUD) Welcome Home for South Africa’s Olympic Heroes

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s athletes have returned to a heroes’ welcome… as they arrive home from their record-breaking Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil – where they scooped more medals than they won in London (2012) and an equal tally of 10 from Antwerp (1920) and Helsinki (1952). Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula was on hand to welcome the […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s athletes have returned to a heroes’ welcome… as they arrive home from their record-breaking Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil – where they scooped more medals than they won in London (2012) and an equal tally of 10 from Antwerp (1920) and Helsinki (1952).

Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula was on hand to welcome the over 130 athletes as they touched down at OR Tambo International Airport Tuesday morning. (See a breakdown of which SA athletes won what at the Olympics.)

He said winning 10 medals “is not child’s play” and that Wayde van Niekerk will receive an extra R150,000 on top of his gold medal incentive because he broke the world record. Other medalists who participated in the Rio Olympics will receive additional prize money, said Mbalula.

Van Niekerk was not amongst the returning athletes as he’s gone straight to Paris for the IAAF Diamond League meeting but South Africa’s “golden girl” Caster Semenya was in the house!

Listen to the cheers of the fans below…

The athletes will be presented with their medals and cheques at a press conference this morning.

Watch Live Stream from OR Tambo

Watch Caster Semenya talking after scooping Olympic Gold: