Team SA move into Athletes' Village at Rio

Rio de Janeiro - The first wave of Team South Africa competitors have jetted into Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games.

As the sun rose on Sunday morning in Brazil, South African Airways Flight SA 224 proudly landed at Galeão International Airport.

The men’s under-23 football side dropped in Sao Paulo in the wee hours on Sunday, according to SASCOC.

Owen da Gama’s charges will open their campaign in the city of Brasilia on 4 August, before staying in the country’s federal capital for their second match against Denmark and closing up their group fixtures back in Sao Paulo versus Denmark.

The women’s side were the first South African sports code to enter the spanking new Athlete’s Village.

Football is the advance guard of sportsmen and women who will do duty for Team South Africa at these Games.

The side, coached by Vera Pauw, open their Games with a tough match against hosts Brazil at the Olympic Stadium on 3 August.

Contrary to various media reports that the village was ‘unliveable’, Team South Africa’s apartment block is excellent accommodation with large en suite apartments, with air conditioning, reliable wifi in every room, reception areas, balconies, kitchen sinks, mosquito pads, fans, etc.

With the opening ceremony still a few days away and the village almost complete, the standards already look like being on a par with most Olympic Athletes’ Villages to date.

We're here in Rio and the start of our journey begins #teamSArise on our way from the airport to the Village pic.twitter.com/fMKs02Jr6V

— TeamSouthAfrica (@teamsa16) July 24, 2016

Team @Banyana_Banyana has checked into the Olympic Village #Rio. Time to complete the final phase of preps @SAFA_net pic.twitter.com/p1Jw7stqmn

— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 24, 2016