How SA swimmer Marianne Kriel won Atlanta Olympics bronze medal 'twice'

Today, we feature swimmer Marianne Kriel...

Marianne Kriel: Swimming. Bronze medallist, 100m backstroke, Atlanta 1996 "The first Olympics was all due to Madiba. He made it all happen for us.

It was really incredible to be part of the first South African team at the Olympics post-isolation (Kriel was in fact the first SA athlete to compete at the Olympics since 1960, and Nelson Mandela was poolside to cheer her on at Barcelona 1992). "You could feel that you were a part of history, and it being in Barcelona, where it was so beautiful, with the Olympic Village on the beach, it was almost surreal. "Suddenly, we had gone from swimming in front of 50 parents in the cold and wind at Newlands pool to now swimming before 25 000 people and millions watching on television around the world.

Marianne Kriel with former President Nelson Mandela. Photo: Supplied "It was a real eye-opener. We did not know where we would rank.

It was quite daunting. But it was absolutely wonderful, especially as I was able to share that with my late parents. "Upon returning from Barcelona, I would meet up with people back home, and they would ask where I finished.

I would proudly say 10th place, and they would respond all disappointed. "I was quite taken aback by that and promised myself that I would not come tenth again, and would work harder than ever before. I promise you, for the next four years I trained six hours a day.

"It was a real battle, but I had a private dream that I could medal in Atlanta. Arri.