Team SA look to start well in Glasgow
The 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run event is only one of 57 events across nine sports that Team South Africa athletes will compete in on day one.
Hockey, Badminton, and Lawn Bowls, commence the preliminary rounds while there are medal competitions that will be finalized by the end of the day in Judo, rhythmic gymnastics, weightlifting, cycling, swimming and triathlon.
England’s Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee, the Olympic Gold Medalist, sandwich Murray in the starting line up of 47 competitors that also includes South Africans Henri Schoeman and 21-year-old Wian Sullwald.
Schoeman and Sullwald are strong swimmers and can be expected to go out with the lead bunch, but will be hoping also to pull Murray as close to the lead bunch as possible.
“It’s a difficult call as to how much they assist,” said Lindsey Parry the coach and manager of the five-triathlete team. “Staying too far off pace risks us having no one in the lead bunch, but if they go on their own they could Richard too far behind to make the jump in the cycle.”
“Its probably more about them not sharing the lead and slowing the race by what they don't do,” continued Parry who believes Murray is capable of beating the Browlee brothers in the run.
The Englishmen know they have to leave Murray from the gun.
“Murray’s a very good runner,” warns Jonothan. “He’s beaten me twice this year, and was a world duathlon champion as a junior. He’s not the best swimmer but he’s improved. But if he swims a minute down, which he may well do, you might not see him at the front of the race.”
Murray is equally motivated and focused on getting SA’s first medal, “If I’m off the podium, I’ll be disappointed,” said the cape-based triathlete. “It's a hard course, we are going to have to work hard on the cycle. With so many shall steep climbs the legs will get a pounding, which will impact on the run. That could work for me.”
Swimming, a major medal earner for Team SA also commences tomorrow, with Myles Brown the first out of the blocks at 11:50 (SA time) in the 400m freestyle and one of around 10 medal potentials in the pool.
Karin Prinsloo, Roland Schoeman, and Chad le Clos, who South Africa are relying on for medals, will also commence their campaigns and there is an outside chance of a medal in the Women’s relays.
“The girls in particular have been swimming faster than expected with slick changeovers in the relay,” said coach Wayne Ridden, who feels nine to ten medals is a fair ask of the team. “We have the experienced swimmers here and importantly they will help the youngsters, who really need to gain the experience. (towards Rio).”
“My biggest concern is that we focus too much on the medals and not on the times,” continued the Pietermaritzburg based coach. “Its normally better to focus on the time, the medals then come. We mustn’t get caught up in the pressure.”
Cameron van der Burgh will make his start for two individual breastroke golds and some relay hardware tomorrow.
Women’s Hockey should have a comfortable ride through their preliminary match against Trinidad and Tobago, as Marsha cox and her teammates work their way towards a place in the knock out section.
“We should be able to get the points tomorrow (Thursday) against Trinidad, but New Zealand and Canada will be tough matches,” said Marsha Cox. “We can never really be sure what’s coming when you play India, so that's going to be a key match. We would hope to make it to at least the semi-finals. That's realistic.”
After months of preparations, and an outstanding opening ceremony, tomorrow the 187 members of Team SA will get down to the business of earning those 43 medals that SASCOC President Gideon Sam has predicted will be required to place fifth on the medal table by Sunday 3 August when Glasgow will lower the flag on the 20th Commonwealth Games.
Click here for pictures from the opening ceremony.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
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