You probably forgot that the Commonwealth Games that kick off with the Opening Ceremony in Birmingham today should have already been in full swing in Durban, South Africa.
Yes people, we were supposed to host the queen se hele former Britse territorites in 2022, with the Games originally planned to kick off on Mandela Day - 18 July.
But somewhere between winning the bid with Canada’s Edmonton pulling out in 2015, and 2017 it came to light that there simply wouldn’t be enough Rande to host the event.
In stepped Birmingham, which will now open its doors to 72 countries - from South Africa to the Isle of Man. And instead of our local mense, it will be Duran Duran, someone from Black Sabbath and a guy called Soweto Kinch (a British jazz musician) opening the floor at today’s opening ceremony. The actual sports events start on Friday.
For those who don’t quite know what these Games are about, it’s a competition for the Commonwealth of Nations - mostly made up of former British colonies. Met ander woorde, lande that belonged to British empire at one stage of our history.
The first event was held in 1930 and was actually known as the British Empire Games up until 1950.
So Waar pas SA in?
For those who don’t know about our connection to the Brits, go read up about Cecil John Rhodes en daai manne. I don’t have the space to go into a history lesson about that.
Our history at the Games, that’s what I can talk about.
South Africa competed in six of these Games from 1930 to 1958. But when the apartheid policy was implemented, the country withdrew from the British Commonwealth in 1961 and only returned to the Games in 1994.
When SA made its return in Victoria, Australia, in ‘94, the country won two gold medals - both coming from bowls (men and women fours).
The women pairs also won silver, while Elana Meyer (10000m for women), Ezekiel Sepeng (800m men) and Charmaine Weavers (high jump) all bagged silvers that year to add to five bronze medals.
Since then, South Africa has competed in every event, with the country’s best showing at these Games coming in 1954 in Vancouver with a medal haul of 35 - 16 of them being gold.
Since readmission, SA’s best was the 40 medals at the Glasgow Games, which included 13 golds.
So what can we expect this year?
South Africa has sent a total of 108 male and 131 female athletes to the Games. There is no Wayde van Niekerk nor will we get to see Caster Semenya in action.
Nou waar le ons geluk dan? In die swimming pool. It’s here where golden girl Tatjana Schoenmaker and her male gelyke Chad le Clos will be looking to bring home the bacon.
At the last Games, Olympic champion Schoenmaker won gold in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and will be competing in the 50m well in Birmingham, while also taking part in the 200m individual medley.
Le Clos, who won three gold medals of his own at the last Commonwealth Games, already has 17 of these Games’ medals and will undoubtedly look to add more when he takes part in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly events.
In total, Team SA has 21 swimmers in Birmingham.
Onto the track and field, where SA will undoubtedly miss Van Niekerk, Semenya and long jump ace Luvo Manyonga.
But 100m sprinter Akani Simbine will look to repeat his heroics of the last Games by successfully defend his title in this event.
There are a bunch of other hopefuls across various sporting codes.
Of big interest among the new sporting codes will be South Africa’s women’s cricket team, who will play in the first ever T20 competition at the Commonwealth Games.
South Africa’s Blitzboks will also be going all out for gold in the Sevens event.
So there you have it, the Commonwealth Games are heading home to Britain from today up until August 8.
Go Team SA!
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za