The Olympic dream team… cheers and tears

Over the last week, the county’s top athletes found sleep escaping them ahead of the announcement of the Olympic #TeamSA announcement.

Over the last week, the country’s top athletes found sleep escaping them ahead of the announcement of the South African team to represent the country at the Rio Olympic Games.

Even though some of the athletes named in the 137-strong squad met the qualifying standard fair and square, a fraction of doubt still existed.

For some it was unfounded and for others like long jumper Zarck Visser and mountain biker Philip Buys it was agony instead of elation.

Teenage sprinter Clarence Munyai clasped his hands together after he saw his name appear on the big screen at Olympic House on Thursday.

The 18-year-old wore a smile that nearly went all the way around demonstrating what it means to become an Olympian.A day before the announcement, 400m hurdler Cornel Fredericks could not hide the heartbreak of missing out on his second Olympics.

This was supposed to be Fredericks’ time to shine at the quadrennial showpiece after he dominated his event in 2014.Injuries and his misfortune with coaches had taken their toll and Fredericks was unable to meet the qualifying standards for Rio.

The Olympic dream is a fragile one and an extremely difficult to attain, and sometimes even more difficult to sustain.World 1?500m bronze medallist Johan Cronjé can attest to the joys and cruelty of the pursuit for the Olympic dream.

A bright-eyed Cronjé made his debut at the 2004 Athens Games as a 22-year-old and lapped up the experience of the Olympics.Like many athletes do, Cronjé looked to his maiden Olympics for the experience, expecting many more to comein the future.

He missed the 2008 Beijing Games due to injury, narrowly missed the mark for London 2012 and was two seconds short of qualifying for Rio.

This week’s team announcement has again reminded the public that the Olympic Games are around the corner and will, for at least the next two months, be in the spotlight.

While the Olympics come around every four years, for athletes it is the culmination of many years of blood, sweat and tears.It is no easy feat to become an Olympian as athletes from different sporting codes have to meet gruelling qualifying standards.

For many the dream comes with its fair share of sacrifices and is often funded by family and supplemented by the odd sponsor.

It is now time for the athletes to bear the fruit of their labour hoping for a climactic finish, but for others it will end with a whimper.

For some making the team is a victory in itself with the likes of Richard Murray, Anaso Jobodwana, Luvo Manyonga and Lawrence Brittain overcoming extreme odds to find their way to Rio.

For now, we can celebrate with those who have made the cut and commiserate with those who missed the bus.

Saturday Star