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Sascoc sets Rio medal goal

Cape Town - SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president, Gideon Sam, on Wednesday said South Africa would be aiming for 16 medals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

"We are going for 16 medals. If Africa is going for 50 this will be our contribution," Sam told SAPA.

"My focus is this and I must take these athletes and support them and make sure that they qualify for Rio.

"This county wants performers, so we will go out of our way."

Before last year's London Games, Sam set a lofty target of 12 medals - and the team returned with six.

Sam said they would now increase their efforts to assist prospective medallists in achieving their goals.

Sam was speaking after the announcement of a new list of candidates for Sascoc's Operation Excellence (Opex) programme.

Medallists and finalists from the 2012 Games, and athletes ranked in the top eight in the world in their events, were included in the Olympic body's latest top-tier funding programme.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Is 16 medals a realistic target for Team SA in Rio in 2016, considering we returned home with only six in London last year? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
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