South African Olympic swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker and surfer Bianca Buitendag have received money from the government as incentives for their exploits at the 2020 Olympic Games, Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa has said.
Mthethwa said the athletes’ coaches have also been awarded money for guiding the two medal winners to the podium.
“Rewarding of excellence, especially every four years with the primary focus on the Olympics, has been a permanent feature in our sporting calendar,” Mthethwa said on Saturday.
Schoenmaker, who broke a world record in the swimming pool on her way to bagging gold and silver medals, received US$61,000 for her troubles, Mthethwa said.
Buitendag, who won a silver medal for surfing in its debut appearance for the sport at the Olympics, has received US$16,000 as an incentive, the minister said.
In addition to these athletes, the minister said that Paralympic athletes and their coaches who bag any medals at the current Paralympic Games would also be rewarded financially when they return home from the Tokyo Games.
He expressed great hope for athletes currently competing at the Paralympics.
“I am equally confident that our Paralympians will do better and bring more medals which will be worthy of various celebrations and form part of our Class of 2021 great achievers,” Mthethwa said.
He said the South African government is “guided by our core values of an athlete-centred and excellence-driven sports system.”
“Our aim is to provide incentives and to applaud individual athletes and teams, who continue to make our nation proud, by displaying exceptional performance and attaining remarkable results.” the minister said.
NM/jn/APA