South Africa is a nation that punches above its weight in sporting terms. The population of South Africa is around 59 million, according to 2020 figures provided by Worldometer. Compare this to the USA with some 330 million, China with 1.4 billion, Russia with 146 million, the UK with 66 million, and India with 1.388 billion. Of course, raw numbers of citizens are not everything. The South African GDP in 2019 was around $370 million, which according to GDP per capita places us in 48th spot globally. The USA GDP in 2019 was $21, 427, 100 million, China came in 2nd with $14, 140, 160 million, and the UK GDP in 2019 was $2, 824, 850 million. Thus, if you do the sums South Africa’s top sporting triumphs have been generated via a lot less money to spend on sport, which is something to chew over.
South African Memorable Sporting Achievement of All Time
So, let us begin the list of these memorable sporting achievements of all time. Nelson Mandela may not have been the captain of the Springboks or the South African cricket team, but his inspiration has delivered some pretty memorable moments. The 1995 Rugby World Cup saw the Springboks at home and up against the world beating New Zealand All Blacks. Somehow, the new Rainbow Nation overcame the odds to deliver an unforgettable victory. Winning the Web Ellis trophy may not be the biggest international sporting achievement, but it ranks in this writer’s mind as something pretty bloody special. Go Boks.
World Record Beating ODI Victory Over Australia
The 1996 South African triumph of the African Cup of Nations was another very special sporting achievement. Hosting the event in a last minute save for a faltering Kenya, Bafana Bafana beat Tunisia in the final. Substitute Mark Williams scored 2 goals in 2 minutes at the FNB Stadium. Cricket must, also, appear prominently in South Africa’s top sporting triumphs. A world record marathon victory over Australia in the greatest one day international match ever played must not go unnoticed. South Africa scored 438 runs in the Fifth ODI to overcome the Aussie’s 434 runs.
In 1979 Jody Scheckter won the Formula One Championship with Ferrari. He remains South Africa’s only winner of this coveted event. This very expensive elite motor sport is an Everest like achievement in anybody’s book. Chad le Clos defeated Michael Phelps in the 2012 Olympic 200m butterfly to win gold. To overcome the greatest Olympian ever is no mean feat. These have been just a few of South Africa’s top sporting triumphs.
South African Memorable Sporting Achievement of All Time
So, let us begin the list of these memorable sporting achievements of all time. Nelson Mandela may not have been the captain of the Springboks or the South African cricket team, but his inspiration has delivered some pretty memorable moments. The 1995 Rugby World Cup saw the Springboks at home and up against the world beating New Zealand All Blacks. Somehow, the new Rainbow Nation overcame the odds to deliver an unforgettable victory. Winning the Web Ellis trophy may not be the biggest international sporting achievement, but it ranks in this writer’s mind as something pretty bloody special. Go Boks.
World Record Beating ODI Victory Over Australia
The 1996 South African triumph of the African Cup of Nations was another very special sporting achievement. Hosting the event in a last minute save for a faltering Kenya, Bafana Bafana beat Tunisia in the final. Substitute Mark Williams scored 2 goals in 2 minutes at the FNB Stadium. Cricket must, also, appear prominently in South Africa’s top sporting triumphs. A world record marathon victory over Australia in the greatest one day international match ever played must not go unnoticed. South Africa scored 438 runs in the Fifth ODI to overcome the Aussie’s 434 runs.
In 1979 Jody Scheckter won the Formula One Championship with Ferrari. He remains South Africa’s only winner of this coveted event. This very expensive elite motor sport is an Everest like achievement in anybody’s book. Chad le Clos defeated Michael Phelps in the 2012 Olympic 200m butterfly to win gold. To overcome the greatest Olympian ever is no mean feat. These have been just a few of South Africa’s top sporting triumphs.
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