Paris Olympics 2024: South African athletes in action on 24 July

Paris Olympics 2024: South African athletes in action on 24 July

While the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics is still two days away, the action gets underway on Wednesday with soccer and Rugby Sevens as the opening acts.

There is no football team representing South Africa but both the men and women’s sevens teams will be going for gold starting with the men’s competition on Wednesday. 4, 25 and 27 July – with the gold medal match on the final day being the first of the 2024 Games. The women’s tournament will follow on 28-30 July.

Team SA is pooled in Group A alongside New Zealand, Ireland, and Japan. Argentina, Samoa, Kenya, and Australia make up Group B with Fiji, France, USA and Uruguay completing the contingent.

The opening matches set the tone for what is sure to be an electrifying tournament with Australia and Samoa having the honour of kicking things off  in the men’s competition at 15:30 on 24 July.

 Ireland and Great Britain will get play under way in the women’s tournament at 15:30 on 28 July, while reigning champions New Zealand play Challenger champions China and SVNS Grand Final champions Australia kick-off against South Africa.

Team SA…not the Blitzboks at the Olympics

And while South Africans might be used to referring to the Springbok Sevens team by their affectionate nickname, the Blitzboks, you’ll have to get your around Team SA or simply, South Africa for the Olympic event.

Or, you know, don’t bother… since pretty much everyone except the official scoresheet will still call them by their affectionate name.

But let’s give it a whirl. Team South Africa (doesn’t roll off the tongue quite the same way, does it?) will kick off their quest for silverware against Ireland at 17:30 SAST  followed by New Zealand at 21:30 on the first day. They’ll return to play Japan in their final group fixture on Thursday at 16:00.