South African Sports Legends
The greatest South African sports people of all time — across 9 sports.
🏃 Athletics
South African
Wayde van Niekerk
Sprinter (400m)
400m world record holder (43.03).
South African
Caster Semenya
Middle-Distance Runner
Caster Semenya is a South African middle-distance runner and two-time Olympic 800m champion, one of…
South African
Zola Budd
Middle/Long-Distance Runner
Zola Budd is a South African distance runner famous for competing barefoot and for a controversial…
South African
Josia Thugwane
Marathon Runner
Josia Thugwane is a South African former marathon runner who won the 1996 Olympic marathon in the…
South African
AB de Villiers
Batter/WK
South African batter and wicketkeeper renowned for his innovative, all-around shot-making across…
South African
Aiden Markram
Batter
South African top-order batter and occasional off-spinner who captained the U19 side to a World Cup…
South African
Allan Donald
Bowler
South African fast bowler renowned for his pace and aggression, one of the leading wicket-takers of…
South African
Anrich Nortje
Bowler
South African fast bowler known for exceptional pace, a mainstay of the national attack in the…
South African
Dale Steyn
Bowler
South African fast bowler known for his hostile pace, swing and consistent wicket-taking over a…
South African
Faf du Plessis
Batter
South African batter and former captain renowned for his composure under pressure across formats.
South African
Graeme Smith
Batter
South African opening batter who became the youngest Test captain and led the side to numerous…
South African
Hashim Amla
Batter
South African batter known for his elegant technique and prolific run-scoring, especially in ODIs.
South African
Jacques Kallis
All-rounder
South African all-rounder whose combination of prolific batting and high-class fast-medium bowling…
South African
Kagiso Rabada
Fast Bowler
Kagiso Rabada is a South African fast bowler who has established himself as one of the premier pace…
South African
Makhaya Ntini
Bowler
Makhaya Ntini was a South African fast bowler and pioneer, becoming the first black African to play…
South African
Quinton de Kock
WK/Batter
Quinton de Kock is a South African wicketkeeper-batter known for his aggressive opening batting,…
South African
Shaun Pollock
All-rounder
Shaun Pollock was a South African fast-medium bowling all-rounder and former national captain, one…
South African
Barry Richards
Batsman
Barry Richards was a South African opening batsman whose Test career was limited to just four…
South African
Graeme Pollock
Batsman
Graeme Pollock was a South African batsman whose Test career was cut short by his country's…
South African
Charl Schwartzel
Professional Golfer
A South African golfer who won the 2011 Masters and has had a steady career on the European and PGA…
South African
Ernie Els
Professional Golfer
Ernie Els is a South African golfing great celebrated for two US Opens and two Open Championships.
South African
Gary Player
Professional Golfer
Gary Player is a South African golf legend who won 9 majors and completed the career Grand Slam by…
South African
Louis Oosthuizen
Professional Golfer
South African golfer who won the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews by 7 strokes and has since…
South African
Retief Goosen
Professional Golfer
South African golfer who headed the European Tour Order of Merit twice; not eligible for the Ryder…
South African
Bobby Locke
Professional Golfer
South African golfer who won The Open Championship four times between 1949 and 1957, deploying a…
South African
Trevor Immelman
Professional Golfer
Trevor Immelman is a South African former professional golfer who won the 2008 Masters Tournament,…
South African
Branden Grace
Professional Golfer
Branden Grace is a South African professional golfer who became the first player in history to…
South African
Bryan Habana
Wing
Bryan Habana is South Africa's all-time leading try-scorer and a 2007 Rugby World Cup winner, once…
South African
Cheslin Kolbe
Wing/Back
Cheslin Kolbe is a South African wing celebrated for his footwork and pace, winning back-to-back…
South African
Damian de Allende
Centre
Damian de Allende is a South African centre renowned for his physical defense and go-forward…
South African
Danie Gerber
Centre
Danie Gerber is widely regarded as South Africa's greatest-ever centre, his international career…
South African
Duane Vermeulen
Number 8
Duane Vermeulen is a powerful Springbok number 8 who was named Man of the Match in the 2019 Rugby…
South African
Eben Etzebeth
Lock
Eben Etzebeth is South Africa's most-capped international player and a two-time Rugby World Cup…
South African
Faf de Klerk
Scrum-half
Faf de Klerk is a South African scrum-half known for his tenacious defense, winning back-to-back…
South African
Francois Pienaar
Flanker
François Pienaar captained South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, an iconic moment in…
South African
Handré Pollard
Fly-half
Handré Pollard is a Springbok fly-half who has been the difference-maker in two Rugby World Cup…
South African
John Smit
Hooker/Prop
John Smit captained South Africa to victory at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was one of the…
South African
Joost van der Westhuizen
Scrum-half
Joost van der Westhuizen was a legendary Springbok scrum-half and 1995 Rugby World Cup winner who…
South African
Lukhanyo Am
Centre
Lukhanyo Am is a Springbok centre renowned for his all-round play, a two-time Rugby World Cup…
South African
Malcolm Marx
Hooker
Malcolm Marx is a South African hooker regarded as one of the best in the world, key to the…
South African
Naas Botha
Fly-half
Naas Botha was regarded as one of the finest fly-halves of his generation, though South Africa's…
South African
Os du Randt
Prop
Os du Randt was a powerful Springbok prop who won the Rugby World Cup in both 1995 and 2007, the…
South African
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Flanker
Pieter-Steph du Toit is a versatile lock/flanker who has twice been named World Rugby's Player of…
South African
Siya Kolisi
Flanker
Siya Kolisi made history as the first black captain of South Africa and led the Springboks to Rugby…
South African
Victor Matfield
Lock
Victor Matfield was a masterful lineout technician who became the most capped lock in rugby history…
South African
Percy Montgomery
Fullback
Percy Montgomery was a prolific goal-kicking fullback who became South Africa's all-time leading…
South African
Jean de Villiers
Centre
Jean de Villiers was one of South Africa's most-capped players, a two-time World Cup squad member…
🏎️ Formula 1
South African
Desire Wilson
Racing Driver
South African racing driver who became the first and only woman to win a Formula 1 race, achieving…
South African
Jody Scheckter
Formula 1 Driver
Jody Scheckter is a South African former racing driver who won the 1979 Formula 1 World…
South African
Tony Maggs
Formula 1 Driver
Tony Maggs was a South African racing driver and Formula 1 pioneer, the first South African to…
South African
Ian Scheckter
Formula 1 Driver
Ian Scheckter is a South African former racing driver, the older brother of 1979 World Champion…
🥋 MMA
South African
Dricus du Plessis
Middleweight
Dricus du Plessis made history as the first South African UFC champion, winning the middleweight…
South African
JP Buys
Flyweight/Bantamweight
JP Buys, nicknamed 'Young Savage', is a South African mixed martial artist and former UFC…
South African
Cameron Saaiman
Bantamweight
Cameron Saaiman, nicknamed 'MSP', is a South African mixed martial artist and former EFC…
South African
Garreth McLellan
Middleweight
Garreth McLellan, nicknamed 'Soldier Boy', is a retired South African mixed martial artist and…
🌊 Surfing
South African
Jordy Smith
Professional Surfer
South African professional surfer who competed on the World Surf League Championship Tour for over…
South African
Shaun Tomson
Professional Surfer
South African professional surfer who won the 1977 World Championship and was renowned for his…
South African
Bianca Buitendag
Surfer
South African professional surfer who won silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the country's most…
🤾♀️ Netball
South African
Bongiwe Msomi
Wing Attack
Msomi made 171 appearances for South Africa between 2011-2023, captaining the team from 2016 and…
South African
Karla Pretorius
Goal Defence/Wing Defence
South African defender and Sunshine Coast Lightning stalwart who was named Player of the Tournament…
South African
Khanyisa Chawane
Centre
South African international who represented the Proteas at the 2019 and 2023 Netball World Cups…
South African
Phumza Maweni
Goal Keeper
South African defender who represented her country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and played…