Ashleigh Buhai got her Olympic campaign off to a phenomenal start, shooting an opening-round four-under-par 68 at Le Golf National to finish the day in second spot, three shots behind French leader Celine Boutier at the Stade de France in Paris on Wednesday 7 August, 2024.
Buhai, who claimed the British Open title in 2022, was pleased with her day’s efforts which included five birdies and two bogeys and said afterwards: “It was good fun. I was playing two groups behind Celine, so the crowds weren’t really with us, but we could hear it and the atmosphere was amazing.”
“I was really happy with how I struck the ball today and managed my way around this golf course and just stayed very patient.”
Star SA Golfer, Ashleigh Buhai
SA diver Julia Vincent made it third time lucky as she booked a spot in her first Olympic semifinal at her third Games.
The 29-year-old finished with a total of 285.50 points and in 13th place overall – well within the top-18 spot needed to advance to tomorrow’s semifinal.
“Big relief off my shoulders. I think the hardest part is just staying steady and making sure that I advance and go on to the next round.”
SA Diver, Julia Vincent
“That’s what I’m trying to do, just keep it even keel as much as I can, but I’m very happy with that… I felt very, very nervous this morning and then I came out to warm up and I felt pretty good.”
Vincent said she used the time in between her five rounds to plan her upcoming wedding.
“I have a wedding next year, so I was planning my wedding, I was looking up things on Pinterest. It’s fun for me, it takes my mind completely off the competition and it makes me happy so that’s what I was doing today. Sometimes I play games, it just depends on the day,” she explained with a laugh.
Meanwhile, across the road at the Stade de France athletics stadium, Miranda Coetzee finished eighth in her 400m semifinal in 51.60. While that was some way off the personal best time of 50.66 she ran in the repechage yesterday, she was nevertheless pleased with the experience.
“I had a good run, I’m not going to lie, I ran a huge PB yesterday and qualified for world champs next year. I came here, I wrote down everything that I wanted to achieve, so at least I’m walking away with something.”
SA Track Star, Miranda Coetzee
“I’m very happy with what I did and making the Olympics semifinal, that’s huge… I’m happy. I don’t regret anything,” she added, saying she was now looking forward to indulging in the chocolate muffins the athletes have been raving about in the Olympic village.
Earlier in the day, Jo-Ané van Dyk needed just one throw to book her place in Saturday’s javelin final. The Potch-based star threw her javelin further than ever before, setting a new personal best distance of 64.22m to secure automatic qualification for the final.
“I didn’t know it was a good one, I knew I’d pulled hard, but I didn’t know if it could be good. The rhythm felt good, so very happy. That was what I was hoping for. The automatic qualifying was 62m so I knew I could do it in one throw, that was the plan.”
African Javelin Champion, Jo-Ané van Dyk
Van Dyk said she was more relaxed than usual, something she’s hoping to achieve in the final as well.
“I think in the final I’ll do the same, I think same type of warm-up and everything and then also be relaxed, I think that’s important,” she explained.
“I think the adrenaline does the rest of the work, so just to stay relaxed, I know what I can do… I mean you still get the butterflies, but… It’s not paralysing. In the past I had paralysing stress, like I can’t move my legs. So now it’s a lot better. I think maybe a little mental coaching also helps.
“In the final anything can happen, but I’m very positive because if I throw a 64 like that, it might be big.”
Marioné Fourie was not at all happy with her efforts in the morning 100m hurdles heats, finishing fourth in a time of 12.91. She does still have another shot at qualifying for the semifinals however, in tomorrow’s repechage round.
Out at the Vaires-sur-Marne canoeing course, SA’s K2 team of Tiffany Koch and Esti Olivier lined up in separate boats for the heats of the K1 1000m event. Neither could book an automatic qualifying spot into the semifinals and so contested the quarterfinals a few hours later. Olivier finished sixth in her race in 1:53.21 with Koch also sixth in hers in 1:56.81 with neither progressing to the semifinals.
Team South Africa’s Women’s Contingent and Paris 2024 Broadcast Updates
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Saturday, 27 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Sunday, 28 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Monday, 29 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Tuesday, 30 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Wednesday, 31 July, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Thursday, 1 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Friday, 2 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Saturday, 3 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Sunday, 4 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Monday, 5 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Tuesday, 6 August, 2024
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Results on Wednesday, 7 August, 2024
Golf
Women’s individual stroke play round one – Ashleigh Buhai shot an opening-round four-under-par 68 to finish the day in second spot, three shots behind French leader Celine Boutier, Paula Reto claims fiftieth position, carding a 78 and progressing to the next round
Athletics
100m Hurdles Round One – Marioné Fourie finished fourth in a time of 12.91, qualifying for the semifinals in Thursday’s repechage round.
Athletics
Javelin – Jo-Ané van Dyk booked her berth in Saturday’s javelin final with a new personal best distance of 64.22m with her first throw of Round 1.
Canoeing
Kayak Single 500m Heats – Esti Oliver claims fifth place in the Women’s Kayak Single 500m Heat 5 with a time of 1:55.98. She advances to the Quarterfinal. Tiffany Koch places in sixth position in the Women’s Kayak Single 500m Heat 6 with a time of 2:02.76. She progresses to the Quarterfinals.
Kayak Single 500m quarter-finals – Tiffany Koch finishes in sixth place in the Women’s Kayak Single 500m Quarter-Finals with a time of 1:56.81, falling short of qualifying to the Semi-Finals. Esti Oliver finishes in sixth position in the Women’s Kayak Single 500m Quarter-Final 4 with a time of 1:53.21. She did not qualify for the Semi-Finals
Diving
3m Springboard prelims – Julia Vincent secured thirteenth position in the Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary, and qualifies for the Semi-Finals
Athletics
400m Semi-Finals – Miranda Coetzee finishes in third place in the Women’s 400m Semi-Final 3 with a time of 51.60, unfortunately not advancing to the Finals
Schedule of Events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday, 7 August, 2024
09:00am: Golf Round 2 Women’s Individual – Paula Reto and Ashleigh Buhai
10:00am: Diving Semi-Final – Julia Vincent
10:00am: Sport Climbing Semi-Final – Lauren Mukheibir
10:25am: Athletics Women’s Shot Put – Ashely Erasmus and Mine de Klerk
10:35am: Women’s 100m Hurdles Repechage – Marioné Fourie
Original Copy: Karien Jonckheere, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Ashleigh Buhai shoots a phenomenal first round in her Olympic start, Jo-Ané van Dyk qualifies for the Javelin final with a new personal best first throw, and Julia Vincent relieved after booking a spot in her first Olympic semifinal. Photo: Anton Geyser / Team SA
Photo 2 Caption: Julia Vincent secured thirteenth position in the Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary, and qualified for the Semi-Finals. Photo: Anton Geyser / Team SA
Photo 3 Caption: Marioné Fourie finished fourth in a time of 12.91 in the 100m Hurdles Round 1, qualifying for the semifinals in Thursday’s repechage round. Photo: Anton Geyser / Team SA
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