Volume 1 September 2021
IOL
SPORT
THE
AVENGERS D E S TI N Y AS ‘TH E G REAT ES T FO OT BA L L ER EVER’
IOL CONTENTS COVER STORY THE AVENGERS Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have embarked on another journey to complete their destiny as “the greatest footballer ever”.
EDITORS’ NOTE Sport is ultimately about being able to escape into a fantasy world where even if for just a brief moment we can forget our Covid-19 troubles.
BATTLE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS The Springboks and All Blacks is a bizarre rivalry that has weathered all manner of storms in 100 years of combat.
THE IMMORTALS A throwback to the giant-killers of 1937, the only Bok team to win a full Test series on New Zealand soil.
THE AVENGERS Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo embark on yet another journey to complete their destiny as “the greatest footballer ever” for altogether different reasons.
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT New fresh-faced chairman Tlhopie Motsepe is making all the right moves to ensure Mamelodi Sundowns continue to scale dizzy heights.
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THE AFRICAN DREAM Kaizer Chiefs are hoping new-signing Keagan Dolly can inspire them to success on the continent.
THE ITALIAN JOB Banyana Banyana ace Refiloe Jane is living her dream life at Italy’s AC Milan.
#ALWAYS RISING The Proteas Women’s team are preparing to shatter yet another glass ceiling as they continue their rise.
FRESH START South African cricket is entering an exciting era with the advent of a new first-class structure. Design: Matthys Moss | matthys.moss@inl.co.za
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Coordinator: Zaahier Adams | zaahier.adams@inl.co.za Acting Executive Sports Editor: Thulani Mbatha | thulani.mbatha@inl.co.za
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Editors’ Note
Sport is the world’s greatest escape ALMOST as a sign of these crazy times that we are currently immersed in, the last European transfer window simply blew everyone away. THE two greatest footballers of our generation, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, had social media buzzing when the duo completed the most unexpected moves. Messi’s free transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and Ronaldo’s homecoming to Manchester United has placed football right at the top of the minds of everyone again, and allowed us, even if just for a brief moment, to forget our Covid-19 troubles. And that is what sport is ultimately about: The pure unadulterated joy of being able to escape into a fantasy world to a galaxy where heroes are born and villains are cast in the space of just 90 or so minutes. The Springboks and All Blacks have been providing this form of entertainment for 100 years and we take an in-depth look at a rivalry that has captured the imagination of the global rugby public ahead of their centenary Test in Brisbane, while we also dig into the archives to celebrate the 1937 Bok “Immortals”. It’s not only in Europe where football is reaching fever pitch with Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns still a cut above the rest, while Kaizer Chiefs are pinning their hopes on their new signing Keagan Dolly. South African sports women also continue to reach new highs with Banyana Banyana striker Refiloe Jane living her best life in Italy with AC Milan, while the Proteas women’s team are breathing much-needed fresh life into SA cricket. As we continue to be starved of the opportunity of visiting stadiums to consume live sport, we hope this magazine brings you just a little bit closer to all the action once again.
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BATTLE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS A rivalry that has captured the imagination of rugby lovers the world over Photos: BackpagePix | Cape Argus By MIKE GREENAWAY IN a strange quirk of fate, the 100th Test match between the Springboks and the All Blacks happens to be in the 100th year of a rivalry between the rugby heavyweights that began in Dunedin in 1921, and perhaps stranger still, the momentous milestone will take place on neutral ground in the northern Queensland city of Townsville, a rugby league stronghold. But rugby lovers the world over would suggest all of this is in sync with an at times bizarre rivalry that has weathered all manner of storms — notably controversies over the racial composition of Springbok teams prior to 1992 and the demands on touring New Zealand teams to fit in with South Africa’s racist selection policies. This tension reached a crescendo when the 1981 Bok tour of New Zealand split the country, and even families, and matches somehow persisted despite fierce anti-tour demonstrations that famously culminated in a light aeroplane flour-bombing Auckland’s Eden Park during the third Test decider. In 1986, the official All Blacks tour of South Africa was stopped by a New Zealand court injunction but the squad toured anyway — minus two conscientious objectors in John Kirwan and David Kirk — as the New Zealand Cavaliers. The Springboks won
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RUGBY
the series but the results were not officially recorded — if they had been, the 100th Test would have been played some time ago. When the Boks emerged from isolation in 1992, it was fitting that it was New Zealand in tow with their famous haka that provided the first opponents, with Sean Fitzpatrick’s team prevailing narrowly at Ellis Park. The All Blacks were not so lucky at the same venue three years later in arguably the most dramatic match between the countries when a Joel Stransky drop goal in extra-time won the Boks their first World Cup, with President Nelson Mandela handing over the trophy to Francois Pienaar in one of the most emotional moments in South African sporting history. They, however, returned a year later in 1996 to record their first-ever series win on South African soil to kickstart the All Blacks’ dominance in the professional era. Prior to the 1992 Test, the Springboks had beaten the All Blacks on 20 occasions over 70 years while the Kiwis had prevailed 15 times, with two draws. The tables have been turned since, and as we reach the centenary milestone, the record is: New Zealand 59 victories, South Africa 36, and four draws.
Above: The All Blacks perform the haka during the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.
Top left: All Blacks legend Richie McCaw and Bok great Bryan Habana share a moment after the Rugby Championship match between South Africa’s Springboks and the New Zealand All Blacks at FNB Stadium in 2012. Left (centre) Auckland, New Zealand, 12.09.1981: The demo-plagued Test series between the Springboks and the All Blacks in New Zealand. Barbed wire separates the spectators from the players as police remove demonstrators who disrupted the game. Bottom left: President Nelson Mandela hands over the World Cup trophy to Springbok captain Francois Pienaar at Ellis Park in 1995. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi hunts down All Blacks centre Ryan Crotty in Wellington in 2018.
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In days of yore, the Boks were once known as the most attacking team in the world. On the 1937 tour of New Zealand the Bok backs won praise for their innovative play. A key figure in that famous backline was Danie Craven and above making the dive pass famous in the series-clinching third Test in Auckland.
THE IMMORTALS The 1937 Springboks remain the only Bok team to win a series on New Zealand soil Photos: Independent Media | Supplied By: MURRAY WILLIAMS THE greatest Springbok achievement in New Zealand remains that of the giant-killers, the famous Boks of 1937. For, after a century of combat between the two countries, they remain the only Bok team to win a series on New Zealand soil. Someone who knows what it feels like to beat the All Blacks is former Bok, Derek van den Berg, a doctor from Somerset West. And his father knew too – playing lock in that legendary 1937 team. “It’s the ultimate international, isn’t it – South Africa versus the All Blacks,” Van den Berg said. Early in the 1930s his father, Mauritz, used to sell ice cream at Newlands. He was already 21, but took a long look at the game of rugby and thought he might try his hand at it. He played for Western Province five years later. And two years on he was in the 1937 Bok team that toured Australia and New Zealand. Almost 40 years later, his son put on the green and gold too. He faced
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the All Blacks in Durban in 1976 and tasted victory, as his father had. “I always thought it was special that my father played against them – and that I did too,” Van den Berg said. “The 1937 Boks were considered giant-killers.” The captain was Philip Nel, the vicecaptain Danie Craven, Louis Babrow was the star centre and Gerry Brand did the pinpoint kicking. “They needed to win the last Test to win the series. But the team had no coach. So they telegrammed home to ask for a strategy. And the reply carried just three words: ’Scrum, scrum, scrum.’ That they did – and won. “When they sailed back into Durban weeks later there were 10s of thousands of people in the harbour to greet them.” Van den Berg junior played prop in his day. So, did he have to play the role of tough guy? “No, but I think my father was the ultimate enforcer, if ever there was one. Some of what we’d consider dirty play today was acceptable back then. They were a really tough bunch,” Van den Berg said.
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Former Bok Derek van den Berg looks at a photo of the 1937 Springbok team that beat the All Blacks. His father Mauritz was a member of the 1937 Bok team.
Springbok captain Philip Nel shakes hands with his All Black counterpart, Ron King, ahead of the famous final Test in New Zealand in 1937.
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COVER STORY
THE AVENGERS IOL Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have once again embarked on another journey to complete their destiny as ‘the greatest footballer ever’. Photos: AFP | Reuters | EPA By: IOL SPORT TEAM THE stellar careers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, undoubtedly and by a country mile the planet’s two best footballers over the last decade, took an unexpected turn during arguably the most dramatic transfer window yet this past European summer. The festival of unimaginable transfers kicked off when Messi officially put pen to paper for Paris Saint-Germain on 10 August in what was the singular most important moment in the 51-year-old history of the Parisian club. Following a decorated 17-year long career with Barcelona, in which his ridiculous 672 goals in 778 outings for Barca yielded an incredible haul of 35 major trophies, Messi signing a twoyear deal signals PSG’s boldness in their quest to finally win the Champions League. The Argentine’s intelligence on and off the ball, electric burst of speed when scything past defenders and legendary vision to pick a pass through the eye of a needle will have PSG purring.
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RONALDO V MESSI But Messi’s biggest rival Ronaldo was not to be beaten to the headlines and the Portuguese star was also on the move this summer, almost breaking the internet when Manchester United announced his return to the club 12 years after he left for Real Madrid having helped the club to nine major honours during his first stint there. Ronaldo, now 36, refined his game during that period away from Old Trafford. In the past, he was involved all the
CR7 SOCCER
time; now he often drifts in and out of action, sometimes even quite anonymously. But, rest assured, he is always thinking, always scheming and, when you’ve forgotten about him, that’s when he strikes. He has also added 20 more major titles at club level with both Real Madrid and Juventus, including four Champions Leagues won with Real and two Serie A titles with Juve, but returns to a distinctly different United to that which he left 12 years ago. He now finds himself returning to a club that has fallen behind Premier League champions Manchester City, Liverpool and Champions League holders Chelsea as the dominant teams in the English game. In the same way that United had proverbially knocked Liverpool off their perch as English football’s dominant force of the 1970s and 80s courtesy of a dominant era under the wily Sir Alex Ferguson, the Red Devils have themselves been unceremoniously usurped as the English game’s most feared outfit. So, as Messi and Ronaldo take their places at their respective new clubs, they once again embark on yet another journey to complete their destiny as “the greatest footballer ever” for altogether different reasons.
MANCHESTER’S Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Uefa Champions League group F soccer match between BSC Young Boys and Manchester United at the Wankdorf stadium in Bern, Switzerland, 14 September 2021.
A SENSE OF SOMETHING SPECIAL
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COVER STORY
THE AVENGERS IOL
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi in action during the French Ligue 1 soccer match against Stade Reims at Stade Auguste-Delaune II in Reims, France, 29 August 2021.
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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT Mamelodi Sundowns are setting the bar on and off the field Photos: BackpagePix, African News Agency (ANA) By HERMAN GIBBS NEW fresh-faced chairman Tlhopie Motsepe is making all the right moves to ensure Mamelodi Sundowns continue to scale dizzy heights. Tlhopie, eldest son of South African billionaire and new Caf president Patrice Motsepe, is broadening the vision of the undisputed kings of SA football. With a record 11 PSL men’s titles and the coveted 2016 Caf Champions League crown already in the trophy cabinet, Sundowns broke new ground recently when their women’s team were crowned inaugural winners of the 2021 Caf Women’s Champions League Qualifying after beating Black Rhinos Queens of Zimbabwe in the final in Durban. With this win, Sundowns women booked their ticket to the Champions League in Egypt, in November. No team on the continent has ever won the Caf men’s and women’s Champions League. It is not just on the field that Sundowns are setting the bar under Tlhopie’s guidance. The 32-year-old recently attracted headlines when he announced a partnership with American athlete management and entertainment company Roc Nation, owned and founded by famous rapper Jay Z.
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Roc Nation has already established a footprint in Mzansi with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and fellow Boks Cheslin Kolbe, Sbu Nkosi and Aphelele Fassi. Proteas limited-overs captain Temba Bavuma and fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, along with SA netball captain Bongi Msomi are also on their books. Furthermore, Tlhopie has also pulled off a coup in securing the services of two leading La Liga Uefa Pro Licenced coaches Toni Alvarez and Luis Martinez for an exclusive workshop for 20 members of Sundowns’ technical, academy and scouting staff at the club’s Chloorkop headquarters. The Spanish gurus were accompanied by La Liga Southern Africa managing director Marcos Pelegrin, and the emphasis was on coaching, football methodology and the development of the game model. Some of the technical staffers who attended included the head of Sun-
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downs Academy Sam Mbatha and former players who are now part of the club’s coaching and scouting structures such as Surprise Moriri, Isaac Shai, Michael Manzini, Esrom Nyandoro and Godfrey Sapula. SA’s relationship with Spanish football and La Liga runs deep since Spain won their first World Cup here in 2010, while Sundowns have also hosted La Liga giants Barcelona on two occasions in 2007 and 2018. Indeed, there is no other way than up at Sundowns. And as they say in the classics: The sky is the limit.
BELOW: New boss Tlhopie Motsepe celebrates winning the 2020-21 Premiership title with his Sundowns team.
Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona beats Wayne Arendse of Mamelodi Sundowns FC during the Nelson Mandela Centenary Challenge at FNB stadium.
Sundowns are aiming to become the first team to win the men’s and women’s Caf Champions League titles in November.
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Kaizer Chiefs marketing director Jessica Motaung and coach Stuart Baxter plot the way forward.
THE AFRICAN DREAM Kaizer Chiefs are hoping Keagan Dolly can rekindle their glory days Photos: BackpagePix By ZAAHIER ADAMS KAIZER Chiefs, also famously known as the Glamour Boys, are undoubtedly the aristocrats of South African football built on the riches of Kaizer Motaung’s family dynasty. A true sign of transformation is through generational wealth with the club now virtually entrusted in the hands of the off-spring. Bra Kaizer’s children – Bobby (football manager), Jessica (marketing director) and Kaizer Jnr (sporting director) run the operations at Naturena. It is this youthful and energising vision that is raising Chiefs to unprecedented heights. Amakhosi’s dream run to their maiden Caf Champions League final appearance last season unlocked new markets on the continent for Jessica and Kaizer Jnr to explore, bringing their goal of transforming Chiefs into the biggest sporting brand in Africa
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closer to realisation. “It’s great to see our support base growing on the continent. Being able to broadcast online and finding new audiences outside South Africa. It’s also been great to see the brand grow in North Africa – in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco,” said Jessica. “But while our continent is beautiful and we will continue to meander through it, we are now after the world, we want the world to be a lot more aware of the brand.” All these initiatives count for nothing if it’s not based on the foundation of results on the pitch though and Chiefs have only just emerged from a traumatic domestic season that was ruptured with the Amakhosi faithful marching to the gates of Naturena demanding better from their team, which ultimately led to the departure of coach Gavin Hunt. But the winds of change are blowing through Chiefs with Englishman Stuart Baxter back in the coaching hot seat. They have also put together a talent-laden squad that can hopefully
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topple four-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns from their perch. The marquee signing of Keagan Dolly from League 1 side Montpellier has certainly signified their intent. Chiefs will play to Dolly’s rhythmic tempo this season and hopefully the 28-year-old midfield maestro can rekindle the glory days of yesteryear when Doctor Khumalo, Ace Khuse and the late John “Shoes” Moshoeu were pulling the strings in the heart of Amakhosi’s midfield.
Chiefs will play to the rhythmic tempo of Keagan Dolly.
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THE ITALIAN JOB
Refiloe Jane has fitted in like a glove at AC Milan.
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Refiloe Jane’s long wait for a move to AC Milan has been worth it Photos: AC Milan Twitter | BackpagePix By MIHLALI BALEKA FROM the streets of Soweto to the catwalks of Milan. It’s probably safe to say Refiloe “Fifi” Jane is “living the dream”, considering her humble beginnings to becoming a colossal figure for Italian heavyweights AC Milan. After earning her stripes at the Vaal University of Technology ladies’ team, Jane became a prominent figure in South African football. As a result, she was appointed Banyana Banyana vice-captain. She had to watch the first stages of transformation in women’s football from the sidelines as her Banyana teammates bagged lucrative European contracts. And when her time to join the professional ranks came, it was met with struggles. In 2018, Jane and her friend Rhoda
Mulaudzi secured trials with Australian W-League side Canberra United. There it was not all glitz and glam from the outset as they would be responsible for their own accommodation and flights, forcing them to seek assistance from loved ones. Fortunately, it all worked out with the duo enjoying a successful stint in their first professional move abroad. As a result, their expertise guided Banyana to their maiden Women’s World Cup appearance in France two years ago. Jane’s performances were so outstanding it caught the eye of AC Milan. At Milan, she fitted like a glove – becoming an important figure in midfield. Her displays for the club bagged her two contract extensions – last year and this year – in a feat that will see her spend at least three years in the world’s fashion capital. Jane’s move to Milan may have taken longer than expected, but the wait appears to have been worth it.
That Jane is holding on tightly to the dream is because she hopes to be a source of motivation for aspiring young female footballers. “My journey should be used as motivation, especially in SA where I come from an underprivileged background. I have shown that no dreams are unachievable if you have necessary support,’’ Jane told Milan TV early this year. With the world slowly regaining normality following the Covid-19 pandemic, the 29-year-old maestro returned to the national team for the ongoing Aisha Buhari Cup in Nigeria for the first time since the World Cup. And we can’t wait to see her turn on the Italian magic!
Refiloe Jane with her teammates in Milan.
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#ALWAYS RISING
The Proteas women’s team are genuine World Cup contenders Photos: BackpagePix | www.photosport.nz By ZAAHIER ADAMS “IF you want something said, ask a man, if you want something done, ask a woman.” These were the famous words of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. And that’s exactly what the Proteas women’s team have been doing. They are working hard, smiling, and most importantly, winning. Since 2020, the Proteas’ women’s team have won successive one-day international series against New Zealand (3-0 away), Pakistan (3-0 home), India (4-1 away) and the West Indies (4-1 away). The Pakistan series included the first-ever “Black ODI” as the Proteas women’s team added their voice and commitment to the fight against femicide and violence against women in South Africa. This hot-streak of results have seen Hilton Moreeng’s team leapfrog current world champions England into second place behind Australia on the ICC ODI rankings and raise the Proteas’ status to genuine contenders at next year’s
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Shabnim Ismail celebrates with the rest of her Proteas teammates during the 2021 series against Pakistan in Durban.
World Cup in New Zealand. “I think the way we have been portraying ourselves on and off the field just shows the world we mean business,” Proteas fast bowler Shabnim Ismail said. “Yes, it is baby steps towards the World Cup, but the way we are playing our cricket at the moment just shows that when we do go to the World Cup,
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South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail in full cry.
I am very sure that we are going to give everyone a run for their money there. I am really excited to go to the World Cup for us to show off our talent there as well.” The upward trajectory of the Proteas has certainly not gone unrewarded with T20 franchises signing up a host of players, who are now all “household names” after competing in Australia’s Big Bash League, England’s The Hundred competition and the Women’s IPL. “We have the experience in the camp. The experience factor within the whole group is an asset and it’s really showing,” Ismail said. “There are a lot of players in the Big Bash, and obviously coming from The Hundred, the way we are playing our cricket is immense. I think this is the strongest team we have ever had at the moment.” No senior SA cricket team – male or female – has played in an ICC World Cup final, let alone crowned world champions. But as Britain’s “Iron Lady” said “if you want something done, ask a woman” and there’s no doubt the Proteas women’s team are preparing to shatter yet another glass ceiling as they continue to rise.
FRESH START New system to revitalise SA cricket Photos: Cape Argus By STUART HESS CRICKET South Africa is doing its own version of Back to the Future, just without the rubbish car, fancy self-lacing high tops and the floating skateboard. From franchises with two – sometimes three homes – domestic cricket will have the primacy of the provinces restored. Western Province, Free State, Northern Cape, Central Gauteng, Easterns, Limpopo, Mpumalanga – names you can locate on a map – will be teams you can see on a cricket field from the 2021-22 season onwards. It used to be that way, until CSA tried out a franchise system that was meant to mimic the smaller elite state system that made Australia so powerful, while also creating stand-alone economically viable domestic entities. Importantly, the six-team franchise system was supposed to improve quality and bridge the gap between domestic cricket and the international level. For a while it did, and then it didn’t.
Western Province were the last winners of the first-class competition prior to the formation of the six franchises. Most critically for CSA the franchise system started losing money hand over foot. So after much consternation, that included the threat of a court case, CSA landed back at the provincial system, albeit one that still contains some remnants of the franchise one – the Dolphins still play in Durban, the Warriors in Gqeberha and the Rocks in Paarl. The 15 teams have been split into
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CSA will hope the new competition gives birth to talents like Hashim Amla, Thami Tsolekile, Neil Johnson and JP Duminy all pictured here. two divisions – an eight-team group at the top, consisting of WP, Eastern Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, North West, Central Gauteng, Northerns and Boland. One key aspect in the new system is the scope for promotion and relegation between the two divisions, adding some much needed competitiveness throughout the season. It is hoped the new system will also narrow the gap between club cricket and the provinces and thus revitalise that link in the cricketing food chain, which was neglected under the franchise system. For the first two seasons – starting this summer – there will be no promotion/relegation, allowing teams a period to settle and in the case of Mpumalanga and Limpopo to build up proper playing resources and find solid financial backing. It is an exciting era – any new one is – and it will be an intriguing examination of the provincial unions’ development initiatives that must supplement a wider playing pool for SA cricket.
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AfricA’s queen of the breaststroke, Tuks swimmer Tatjana schoenmaker, will start her Olympic campaign tomorrow. | reg caldecott
BIKINI wars, no-sex beds and an offensive joker who had no one laughing, the week leading up to yesterday’s Olympic Games opening in Tokyo, Japan, played out like madefor-TV drama. Already under the cosh after a yearlong delay due to the global coronavirus pandemic, Tokyo 2020 (plus 1), opened sans the usual pomp and ceremony reserved for the world’s grandest show of athletic prowess and human endurance, with only a fraction of participating athletes in an almost empty stadium. The director of the Games opening and closing ceremonies was given the boot on Wednesday, just two days before kick-off of the grand event, over a past Holocaust joke. Kentaro Kobayashi was lambasted by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a US-based Jewish rights NGO, over his use of the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust” in a 1998 comedy show. Days earlier, Keigo Oyamada, one of the composers for the Games’ opening ceremony, resigned after public criticism over his past bullying children with disabilities. As Kobayashi battled to get his foot out of his mouth, the Norwegian women’s beach volleyball team added their spike to the fight against sexism by refusing to wear bikini bottoms during matches. They refused to come up short(s) against their male counterparts and declared that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. This could be seen as the first coverup in a beleaguered Games that is hedging its bets on TV and streaming coverage, albeit from empty stadiums, to beat the massive daily audience of 27.5 million global viewers, set by the 2016 Rio Olympics. To help readers schedule viewing times to catch all the actual stadium drama, we have compiled a list of the Top 10 women to watch in Tokyo,
nelandri narianan Executive Editor Lifestyle nelandri.narianan@inl.co.za
starting with Africa’s queen of the breaststroke, Tatjana Schoenmaker. The pressure’s on for the Tuks swimmer looking to become the first South African woman to win a medal in 21 years in an Olympic pool. Right now, Schoenmaker holds the record as the world’s fastest woman in the 200m breaststroke, after she set a new African record, winning in 2:20.17 at the South African National Aquatic Champs in Gqeberha. A new African and South African record of 30.32 in the women's 50m breaststroke final also bears her name. Schoenmaker’s first event is in the 100m breaststroke heat tomorrow and she will dive in for the 200m – as a medal favourite – next Wednesday. Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, ranked Number 2 in the world, came into the public eye after the upset defeat she inflicted on the 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final. Osaka made headlines when she pulled out of the French Open in May citing mental health concerns as well as sitting out the Wimbledon this year for the same reason. It’s advantage-Osaka as she plays on home turf in Tokyo. The US women’s soccer team is aiming to become the first women’s team ever to clinch the World Cup
All aboard – your private jet awaits - clinton moodley
and Olympic gold back-to-back after failing to do so following its World Cup wins in 1999 and 2015. Key to the team’s aspirations is winger Megan Rapinoe, one of the world’s most talented female soccer players. She won the Best Player Award in the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) in the same year. At 36, Rapinoe may be making her last appearance in the Games, so she couldn’t ask for a more glorious exit than helping her team achieve a world-first. Tumbling in next is 24-year-old American gymnast Simone Biles, an eightyear veteran of
simOne Biles reacts after competing on the vault during the senior Women’s competition of the Us Gymnastics championships at Dickies Arena in June in fort Worth, Texas. | AfP
the world gymnastics scene, rising to prominence when she was just 16. Claimed by many to be the greatest female gymnast of all time, Biles has had four gymnastic skills named after her. She won five gold medals in Rio and is defending the individual allaround champion's title. Basketballer Sue Bird, 40, is a slam dunk as leader of the US women’s national basketball team, but leadership is not the only skill she brings to the court. The four-time Olympic gold medallist also holds the Women’s National Basketball Association record for the most assists. Bird has her sights set on becoming the first basketball player to win five consecutive golds. Somebody give Bird her own basket for all those medals. Jessica Springsteen, the 29-year-old daughter of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, is carving out her own impressive legacy in the sport of horse riding. The equestrian champ has been riding since age 5 and is Number 14 in the world rankings. Springsteen comes into this year's competition in top form, having just won the CSI4* Hubside Jumping Grimaud 2021, which is considered to be one of the premiere pre-Olympic international equestrian events. Making Olympic history this year is 43-year-old weightlifter Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand. She will be the first trans-
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gender person to take part in a modern Games. Among the top-ranked lifters in the women’s +87kg category, Hubbard is seen as a favourite to win a medal, especially after her impressive performance at the 2019 Samoan Pacific Games. While critics insist Hubbard should be barred from competing because of the perceived advantage she has over other women because she was born a man, the International Olympic Committee issued new guidelines that allow a transgender athlete to compete as a woman provided her testosterone levels are below a certain mark. Fleet-footed Shelly-Ann FraserPryce of Jamaica comes into the Olympics in peak form, clocking the second fastest time in history – 10.63 seconds. A two-time gold medallist, Fraser-Pryce, 34, is one of three women to successfully defend her Olympic 100m title. She now hopes to live up to her moniker of “fastest woman alive” in what may be her last stab at the biggest Games in town. Surfing will make its Olympic debut this year and seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia will be riding high in Tokyo. The 33-year-old hopes to bring her country’s surfing success to the Olympic stage, but she is likely to face stiff competition from the USA’s Carissa Moore, who has been Gilmore’s long-term rival. Their fierce competitive spirits will surely create a splash of epic proportions. Rounding off the list is 24-yearold Katie Ledecky, who at 15 was the youngest member of the 2012 US Olympic swimming team - and brought home the gold. Since then she has added four more gold medals to her Olympic kitty, which means she’d have to win three more in Tokyo to tie with Jenny Thompson for the honour of being the top medallist among American women swimmers. | Additional reporting by IANS
opinion A violent history of meting out ‘justice’
Making Olympic history this year is weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, of New Zealand, the first transgender person to take part in a modern Games.
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