Japan was vital in helping Pyeongchang win its bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, South

Among those who attended the dinner at Cheong Wa Dae - the Blue House, the official residence of South

I think President Lee's joining the last-minute pitch in Durban, South Africa also had an effect on our

By Tom DegunJuly 19 - South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has secured the 400 metres qualifying

carbon fibre legs, easily surpassed the A standard time of 45.25 which he needed to qualify for the South

clear of the field in Lignano as he smashed his personal best of 45.61 to claim a time that will allow South

Africa to select him for the London 2012 Olympics.Pistorius revealed on his Twitter page that he was

standard for the World Championships but left him him the prospect of missing out on a place in the South

allowed if they only meet the B standard.Before his run in Italy, Pistorius was only the fourth fastest South

By Tom DegunJuly 19 - South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius has secured the 400 metres qualifying

carbon fibre legs, easily surpassed the A standard time of 45.25 which he needed to qualify for the South

clear of the field in Lignano as he smashed his personal best of 45.61 to claim a time that will allow South

Africa to select him for the London 2012 Olympics.Pistorius revealed on his Twitter page that he was

standard for the World Championships but left him him the prospect of missing out on a place in the South

allowed if they only meet the B standard.Before his run in Italy, Pistorius was only the fourth fastest South

By Tom DegunJuly 19 - Keri-Anne Payne has become the first British athlete to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games next year as she today claimed victory in the women's 10 kilometre open water event at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai.

The 23-year-old, born in South Africa before moving to Britain, produced a superb sprint finish to

By Emily GoddardJuly 12 - The 2011 Disabled British Open (DBO) Golf Championship has received sponsorship support from global ISO standard implementation specialists IMSM for the second successive year.

attracted a full field of 72 disabled athletes, with ages ranging from 16-71, from as far afield as South

Africa, Pakistan, Spain, Ireland and Germany, in addition to a strong UK contingent.So popular did the

British Open for young golfers between the ages of 12 and 18.The event is delivered through Tourism South

opportunities to showcase the talents of deaf and disabled people.Sue Saville, managing director of Tourism South

By Emily GoddardJuly 17 - Visa has announced it will sponsor four new United States Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls on their journey to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games providing direct funding, promotional support and life skills training in their quest for glory.

with national teams from more than 20 countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, China, Britain, South

Africa and Russia.The latest four athletes will join these other elite athletes to share their inspiring

this year and also why he missed the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban in South

Africa last week.

while Dave Brailsford's high achieving cycling squad have coaches from Australia, Germany, Belgium and South

Eijden (German)BMX: Grant White (Australian)Carer: Luc de Wilde (Belgian)Carer: Hanlie Perry (South

Africa)EquestrianEventing: Yogi Breisner (Sweden)Show jumping mgr: Rob Hoekstra (Holland)Fencing

By Emily GoddardJuly 10 - Visa has announced that it will sponsor four new Paralympic hopefuls on their journey to the London 2012 Paralympic Games providing direct funding, promotional support and life skills training in their quest for Paralympic glory.

along with national teams from more than 20 countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, China, the UK, South

Africa and Russia.The latest four athletes will join these other sporting stars to share their inspiring

By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJuly 10 - South Africa's Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula will this week

Mbalula plans to write to South Africa's Cabinet requesting that they review the decision taken in

Africa as a whole to host key international events.

storiesJuly 2011: David Owen - Does Zuma's presence mean South Africa will bid for 2020 Olympics

on cards, reveals SamJune 2011: South Africa may still bid for 2020 Olympics claims Sports MinisterJune

2011: South Africa to launch bid for 2022 Commonwealth Games

By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJuly 8 - Football legend Franz Beckenbauer has hit out at the European members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after they voted to award the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Pyeongchang instead of Annecy or Munich.

Beckenbauer, who had flown to South Africa especially to support his home city, had earlier praised the

By Duncan Mackay in DurbanJuly 6 - Pyeongchang were today awarded the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics after beating rivals Annecy and Munich in the first round of voting at the International Olympic Committee Session here today.

decision that it was Pyeongchang was not officially announced until a special ceremony attended by South

communications director (all pictured below) was reward for Pyeongchang's perseverance.This was the South

It feels great," said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who had been an important part of the

"The South Korean project will leave a tremendous legacy as PyeongChang will become a new winter sports

move heaven"July 2011: Kim Yu-Na greeted in Durban by Pyeongchang Dream Programme graduateJune 2011: Africa

By David Owen in DurbanJuly 6 - While its rivals sought to portray old bids as ancient history, Pyeongchang placed its faith in the values of patience and perseverance as it appealed to International Olympic Committee (IOC) members here for the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

This was not a surprise: this is the third-consecutive time that the South Korean city has sought to

Korean athletes travel halfway around the world just to train".The country's leader, Lee Myung-Bak, the South

move heaven"July 2011: Kim Yu-Na greeted in Durban by Pyeongchang Dream Programme graduateJune 2011: Africa

promised support to develop winter sports from all 2018 Olympic biddersJune 2011: South Korean winter

ceremony that saw IOC President Jacques Rogge invested with the Order of the Companions of O R Tambo, South

South Africa is well aware of the need to continue hosting big events," Sam went on.

World Cup a year ago, over whether the tournament produced anything of enduring value for ordinary South

races.With powerful cards in its hand such as the IOC's failure to award a single Olympic Games to Africa

Africa decides against entering the fray.The country has, after all, staged just about every other major

By Andrew Warshaw in DurbanJuly 5 - Eleven years to the day since securing the 2006 FIFA World Cup for Germany, Franz Beckenbauer hopes to play a crucial role in landing the 2018 winter Olympics and Paralympics for his home town of Munich tomorrow.

Beckenbauer, who masterminded Germany's World Cup bid that edged out South Africa by one vote before