Cape Town - Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced a 33-member national relay preparation squad for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the South African athletic team did not partake in any track and field relay events - as they did not qualify.
However, the next Olympic Games in Tokyo will be different for ASA, as they revealed the latest part of its four-year plan in preparation for 2020.
The athletes in the squad, which include Olympic champions Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya, will be given multiple opportunities to compete on the domestic circuit this season, including the new ASA One Hour Elite Comp series.
The progress of the squad will be monitored at the World Relays event in Bahamas in April, and again at the IAAF World Championships in London in August 2017.
"This preparation squad, along with the senior and junior squads previously announced, will play an important role in athlete preparation for major events over the next four years, and they will be regularly monitored and updated," said ASA president Aleck Skhosana.
"With the improvement we have seen in sprinting over the last few seasons, we will aim to ensure that we have full-strength teams possible competing at international level, in order to bring back glory for our country."
Women:
4x100m
Carina Horn, Alyssa Conley, Tebogo Mamathu, Tamzin Thomas, Wenda Nel, Cherese Jones, Maryke Brits, Madia Ehlers
4x400m
Caster Semenya, Justine Palframan, Wenda Nel, Zoe Engler, Jeanelle Griesel, Rorisang Ramonye, Soandri Meyer, Sonja van der Merwe
Men:
4x100m
Wayde van Niekerk, Akani Simbine, Henricho Bruintjies, Gift Leotlela, Emile Erasmus, Anaso Jobodwana, Clerance Monyai, Samkelo Sebela
4x400m
LJ van Zyl, Shaun de Jager, Jon Seeliger, Rantie Dikgale, Thapelo Phora, Barend Koekemoer, Pieter Conradie, Cornel Fredericks, Ashley Hlungwane