The 24-year-old Vereeniging-born Henri Schoeman won the bronze medal in the men’s triathlon to make it South Africa’s 8th medal at the Games.

After a good run, Schoeman crossed the finish line in 1:45:43, just 42 seconds behind Britain’s Brownlee brothers, Allister and Jonny, who clinched gold and silver.

Schoeman beat his much more fancied fellow South African, Richard Murray, by 7 seconds after he struggled in the bicycle leg.

Schoeman says he cannot believe his first ever international triathlon medal is an Olympic medal.

“Of course I’m going to celebrate, it’s my first international triathlon medal and for it to happen here at the Olympics - I’m just ecstatic, it’s just amazing.

“There are just not words to describe how excited I am about this. When I was crossing that line I was just full of emotions.

“I'm just really happy that I made everybody back home and South Africa proud, especially myself.”

Meanwhile, South Africa’s javelin queen, Sunette Viljoen, won the silver in the women’s javelin with a throw of 64.92m which she achieved with her first throw.

It was only during the fourth round that the distance was bettered by Croatia’s Sara Kolak with a winning distance on 66.18m.

Caster Semenya in her turn qualified for the final of the woman’s 800m by winning the semi-final in 1:58.15.

Morgan Piek/OFM News