South Africa is a sport-crazy country. Rugby, soccer and cricket are the most popular genres. South Africans also compete very successfully in boxing, golf (Ernie Els and Gary Player), athletics (Caster Simenya) and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius), and swimming (Chad le Closs).
Segregation
Sport was segregated along racial lines during the apartheid era, but sporting events played a very important role in healing the racial rifts in South Africa. In 1992 South Africa was allowed to return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 32 years. The close battle between the white Afrikaner Elana Meyer and the black Ethiopian Deartu Tulu was followed by the world for 10 000 meters. Tulu emerged as the victor, but the lap of honour was shared by the two, each draped in the other country’s flag.
