So it's the Olympics
Swaziland first attended the Olympics in 1972 in Munich (where Mark Spitz won seven gold medals).
1972
RIchard Mabuza (26) ran in both the Men's 10,000m and the Men's Marathon where he came 17th .... yes, seventeenth !! Well done Richard. Our other participant in 1972 was Philip Serjeant (42) who entered the Mixed Trap and Mixed Sheet Shooting Events.
Swaziland boycotted the Olympics in 1976 and 1980 and attended for the second time in 1984.
1984
Los Angeles saw eight participants from Swaziland. In Athletics, Vusie Dlamini (26), Sam Hlawe (32) and Clifford Mamba (21). Paul Hoffman (28) weightlifting and Trevor Ncala (19) swimming. In Boxing we had Jonathan Magagula (29), Bhutana Magwaza (25) and Leonard Makhanya (19).
1988
Seoul, Korea, saw the greatest number of participants from Swaziland but still no girls! Vusie, Sam, Paul and Trevor returned taking with them Yul Mark du Pont (17) swimmer; Dumsane Mabuza (20) and Charles Mahlalela (20) boxers; Absalom Shabangu (36) weightlifter and athletes Frank Maziya (27), Sizwe Sydney Mdluli (19) and Gideon Mthembu (24).
Men's 100 metres - Frank Maziya ran Round One, Heat Five, against Linford Christie (Great Britain). The final was won by Carl Lewis and Linford came second to get the silver with a time of 10:19. Frank's time in the heat was 11:52.
1992
Six participants went to Barcelona. Sipho Dlamini (19), Elphas Ginindza (24), Sizwe Sydney Mdluli (23), Isaac Simelane (24) and Robinson Stewart (20) athletes and Mfamsibili Mnisi (19) the lone boxer.
Sizwe at 188cm tall did just fine in the Men's Triple Jump coming 27th in the Qualifying Round.
Men's 100 metres - Robinson Stewart ran in the same heat as Frank Fredericks from Namibia who came second in the Men's 100m final - Linford Christie won the race.
1996
Our first lady participant, Daniela Menegon (19) swimmer joined five men to make up the Atlanta team. Themba Makhanya (25), Victor Shabangu (26), Daniel Sibandze (32) and Isaac Simelane - all athletes - and Dan Mathunjawa, our lone boxer.
2000
The Sydney games and our youngest participant, Lisa de La Motte (15) swimmer, was joined by another swimmer Wickus Nienaber (19) and athletes Lucky Willie Bhembe (26) and Priscilla Mamba (28); Musa Simelane (26) boxer and Mfanukhona Dlamini (20) Taekwondo.
2004
Whoops - only three participants went to Athens. Menzi Dlamini (33) ran in the Men's 200m - the race where Americans - Shawn Crawford, Bernard Williams III and Justin Gatlin - took all the medals. Wickus Nienaber (23) came 42 out of 59 in the Men's 100m Breaststroke and Gcinile Moyane (24) tried her best running in the Women's 200m.
2008
Senele Dlamini (16) - 61st with a time of 28:70 in the Women's 50m Freestyle Qualification Race.
Temalanga Dlamini (21) - 48th in the Women's 400m Round 1 Qualification Race with a time of 59:91.
Isaiah Msibi (24) - came 47th with a time of 3:51:35 in the men's 1500m Round 1 Qualification Race.
Luke Hall (19) - 60th in the Men's 50m Freestyle Swimming with a time of 24:41.
Simanga Shiba received a IOC Tripartite Commission Invitation to participate in the Flyweight 48kg Boxing Class.
Last but not least, Keith Fraser (24) represented Swaziland in the 1992 Albertville Winter Games in Alpine Skiing. (The only record of a Swazi participant to the Winter Games so well done Keith.)
Footnote - I read in the paper today that it cost Great Britain £235 million to send their team to Beijing this year. For me, it's not about the money but the participation - so I, like many others, look forward to the 2012 Olympics in London ... but in the meantime it's time to strongly fundraise for that new sports hall for St Marks Primary. We could be helping a future winner - our first medallist ....
On that note - Does anyone know how many of the abovementioned attended St Marks??? Let us know!!
(It's been a marathon writing this page!)
Lyn and Archie
Website Managers
Page updated 15 August 2008
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