Ekurhuleni – The Reiger Park community on Saturday bid cheerful well wishes to the 2016 South African Olympian team before they jet off to Rio, Brazil on Sunday.
Some of the Team SA Olympians paraded through the streets of Ekurhuleni before they join more than 10 500 athletes from 207 countries for one of the biggest international sporting event taking place from 5 to 21 August.
Young people flocked to meet and greet the sports stars who got off their bus at Reiger Park Stadium before parading through the Reiger Park streets, which has seen several horrific crime incidents including hijackings, kidnapping and gang related attacks.
Kananelo Ratshite, who lives in Reiger Park, said he was excited to see the Olympians. He said he hopes the visit by the athletes will motivate youth in his community to stop doing drugs and focus on their talents and achieving their goals.
“Our youth are involved in drug-related crimes, so I hope they will be inspired by what they see today,” he said.
The send-off for Team SA was organised jointly by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and the City of Ekurhuleni.
The aim was to boost the morale of the team by exposing athletes to the passionate support, spirit and hopes of the nation.
Zanele Situ was among the Paralympians who attended the send-off. The javelinist told SAnews that the team will need a good spirit in order to bring home the gold.
She called on fellow Olympians to support one another and stand together throughout the competition in Brazil.
“Do it for yourself. What is going to come after that is the results of what you gave when you were competing,” she said, encouraging her team members.
She urged the youth of Reiger Park to believe in their dreams regardless of their challenges.
Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Faith Mazibuko said she hoped that the young people living in the areas will be inspired by the athletics stars to work hard to realise a better future.
“I am sure that some of you will go and participate in the next Olympics after Rio, you will be going to Tokyo,” she said, speaking to Reiger Park Youth.
She further wished Team SA well ahead of the Olympics. - SAnews.gov.za
