Athletics - Team South Africa

General
South Africa won a medal on their Olympic debut in the men's 4x400m relay, claiming silver at the 1920 Games in Antwerp behind winners Great Britain. Their next Olympic appearance came forty years later at the 1960 Games in Rome where they finished fourth, and another 36 years would pass before their third appearance at the 1996 Games.

The South African team are making their return to the Olympic stage at Tokyo 2020 after missing out on the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. At their most recent Olympic appearance in 2012 they finished last in the final, and were later promoted to seventh following the disqualification of the Russian team.

At the world championships South Africa also boast a silver medal, which they won in 2011 behind the US team and ahead of Jamaica, as well as a bronze from the 1999 tournament. They did not progress from their heat at the most recent edition in 2019, but booked their ticket to Tokyo by making the final at the 2021 World Relays where they were ranked fifth.