Team South Africa will win a bronze medal in the men’s Sevens at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, if leading bookmakers are to be believed.
Blitzboks have unfinished business to take care of at Tokyo 2021
The Blitzboks squad regrouped in Stellenbosch this week after their season was interrupted and according to coach Neil Powell, they have placed the Tokyo Olympics as their ultimate goal.
Team South Africa will win a bronze medal in the men’s Sevens at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, if leading bookmakers are to be believed.
Blitzboks coach Neil Powell has targeted Olympic gold as an objective for his team as they prepare for the 2020/21 World Sevens Series.
With the Dubai and Cape Town legs of the series cancelled in light of the ongoing pandemic the Games are one of the few fixed dates the team are able to work towards.
Blitzboks have unfinished business
The Blitbzoks were awarded the World Sevens Series silver medal after the remaining events were called off earlier this year but will want to emulate Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks in bringing gold back from Japan.
Powell said the Tokyo Games, tentatively scheduled to take place between 23 July and 8 August 2021, remain an important date in the Blitzboks’ calendar.
“We would have returned from the Olympics a few days ago if it had not been postponed, so it’s easy to remind ourselves that it’s unfinished business,” the coach explained in terms of his thinking for the new season.
“We have again pencilled that in as part of the planning for the next season, as that is one of the few confirmed dates available. One thing we have on our side for now is time, and we restarted this week with that in mind.”
Powell has assembled his players for training after receiving government clearance last month and Blitzboks skipper Siviwe Soyizwapi says coming together with teammates has lifted the spirits of the camp.
Good to be back
The Blitzboks are currently training in groups of five and adhering to strict medical protocols.
“It is really good to see team mates again, although some only from a distance,” said Soyizwapi.
“We are adhering to the relevant guidelines and social distancing, and we all realise the importance of staying healthy in these opening weeks and making sure we do our bit with regards to the protocols.
“There is some time to go before we will play our first match, but just to be back with the group and to start training again is a wonderful opportunity for us to get the season going,” Soyizwapi said.
Blitzbok players on were tested in line with a number of return-to-training protocols on Tuesday 11 August, while the team’s medical staff also assessed the players’ physical and mental well-being after the prolonged lockdown.
The team began working on the strength and conditioning element of training on Wednesday 12 August.
It remains unclear when the 2020/21 World Sevens Series will get underway and what protocols teams will have to follow when it does.
