Paris 2024 Olympics: South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk and sibling Kayla Swarts set to share special Opening Ceremony moment
Wayde van Niekerk and his younger hockey-playing sibling Kayla Swarts are set to share a special moment during the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony on the Seine on Friday (26 July).
The Rio 2016 champion and world record holder in the 400m will be making his third Olympic appearance while Swarts gets her first taste as a reserve in South Africa’s women’s hockey team.
South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper reported that Van Niekerk would make an early stop in the Athlete’s Village on the eve of the Games to share the same boat with his sister during the parade.
Van Niekerk, who will not have a shot at regaining his Olympic 400m title after he opted to instead compete in the 200m and relays, will only join the rest of the athletics team at a training camp in Montpellier after the ceremony.
Speaking to Olympics.com in an exclusive interview before the Games, Swarts said it was a lifelong dream to share the Olympics stage with one of her siblings.
“We might be able to see each other at the Opening Ceremony, considering that Team South Africa will be on one big boat,” Swarts said.
“I can't imagine how special that moment would be. It's still so surreal, like every day, I slowly process what's happening. It's not every day that you experience such a massive thing with your brother. That's such a rare occasion and I would be blessed to be able to experience that. It's really crazy!”
The South African women’s hockey team will face Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, Spain and the United States during the group stages of the tournament that will run from 27 July to 9 August.
Van Niekerk is expected to start his campaign in the second week of the global showpiece when he lines up in 200m heats on 5 August.