SA picks Olympic ambassadors

Johannesburg - South Africa's five ambassadors for the Olympic Games have been announced as SASCOC marked the 100-day countdown to the event on Wednesday.

Golfer Ernie Els, Rugby Sevens player Cecil Afrika, retired footballer Lucas Radebe, former international cricketer Makhaya Ntini and Aids campaigner Cynthia Tshaka were chosen because of their work promoting sport.

Els, who missed qualifying for the Masters this year for the first time since 1993, could represent South Africa at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when golf returns to the games. Rugby sevens will also be played in Rio.

South Africa is targeting 12 medals in London after winning just one, a silver for Khotso Mokoena in long jump, at Beijing in 2008. That was South Africa's worst performance at the Olympics in more than 70 years.

The country even managed two medals in Barcelona in 1992 after a 32-year absence from the Olympics because of apartheid.

Team South Africa's mascot will be a rhino called "Chukuru," who has the five Olympic rings around his horn.