Events

SA’s Tour de France hero honoured

· By Matt · 25 comments

South African professional cyclist Daryl Impey, who cycles for the Orica-GreenEdge pro cycling team, was acknowledged for his achievement in the 100th edition of the Tour de France at a gala evening held at Montecasino on Thursday.

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Photo credit: Orica-GreenEdge / Graham Watson

Impey’s achievement was heralded by Sports and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) for being the first South African, and first African, ever to wear the yellow jersey during the grueling 3-week Tour.

Cycling SA President William Newman praised Impey, and the positive growth and momentum of cycling from the continent.

Minister of SRSA Fikile Mbalula said that it is time to acknowledge our true heroes of the country, those hard workers that shed blood, sweat and tears, and make our nation proud.

Also at the function was the South African Proteas netball team, the baby Proteas U21 netball team, as well as the first black jockey to win the Durban July Handicap, Mr Simanga Khumalo.

Incentives were handed out by Minister Mbalula and Director General of SRSA Mr. Alec Moemi. Each of the Proteas netball players and Daryl Impey received a cheque to the value of R15000, while Khumalo received a cheque for R20000.

Comments

Vetseun

Aug 2, 2013, 11:48 AM

Cool!

'Dale

Aug 2, 2013, 11:51 AM

Very cool

bassasdaindia

Aug 2, 2013, 11:53 AM

lekker for him and us saffa's

DJR

Aug 2, 2013, 11:54 AM

:clap:
HeyYou

Aug 2, 2013, 12:04 PM

Impey! wo 'nans' Impey iyeza

Maniax

Aug 2, 2013, 12:07 PM

Kudos!

Bat

Aug 2, 2013, 4:46 PM

Nice!,!

shaper

Aug 2, 2013, 4:48 PM

Good to get recognition!

Guest DieBees

Aug 2, 2013, 5:19 PM

Awesome! Proud of him!

JGR

Aug 2, 2013, 6:00 PM

What an achievement!!!

 

Only R15k? Surely not

 

He is the elite cyclist in SA and surely deserves something along the lines of le clos, caster et al?

Guest Latent Blue

Aug 5, 2013, 10:16 AM

Impey jou yster!

TiBones

Aug 5, 2013, 10:19 AM

Read Kev McCallum's tweets on the ceremony. What a friggen joke our Sports minister and his dept are!

Gambithunt

Aug 5, 2013, 10:22 AM

Read Kev McCallum's tweets on the ceremony. What a friggen joke our Sports minister and his dept are!

 

The problem is with us, we should know better and not expect much from them.

awesme

Aug 5, 2013, 10:22 AM

I'm actually surprised he even got R15K,

 

Last I hear most of our swimmer had to pay their own travel/accommodation costs to the world champs (mind you where they are representing SA proudly) because Government did not have funds

 

G

 

Read Kev McCallum's tweets on the ceremony. What a friggen joke our Sports minister and his dept are!

JGR

Aug 5, 2013, 10:27 AM

I'm actually surprised he even got R15K,

 

Last I hear most of our swimmer had to pay their own travel/accommodation costs to the world champs (mind you where they are representing SA proudly) because Government did not have funds

 

G

That was reversed - at the time the assoc couldnt pay but then the adminstrators realised they could get a nice trip tp Barcelona so they paid up

 

I see it like this - the are professional and these are bonus's like you and I would get in our 9-5. So is Caster and Le Clos (love them) get a R1m a medal (I know olypics) he should have recieved more.

 

R15k might be the cost of hie group set ....

 

Bafana Bafoona got massive bonus just for a scoring a goal let alone winning ......

awesme

Aug 5, 2013, 11:57 AM

Semi high jack, we were talking about the swimmers earlier.

 

http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/Swimming-SA-needs-sponsors-20130804

 

G

That was reversed - at the time the assoc couldnt pay but then the adminstrators realised they could get a nice trip tp Barcelona so they paid up

 

I see it like this - the are professional and these are bonus's like you and I would get in our 9-5. So is Caster and Le Clos (love them) get a R1m a medal (I know olypics) he should have recieved more.

 

R15k might be the cost of hie group set ....

 

Bafana Bafoona got massive bonus just for a scoring a goal let alone winning ......

MTB_Roadie

Aug 5, 2013, 12:03 PM

I dont really think they realise the effort in cycling....Impey had to cycle every stage to stay in the top there, he had to defend his title....4-5hours of hard cycling a day....and the others only play for 90min or swim for 1min...

 

To be honest I think having a SA rider wearing the yellow jersey in the Tour de France is like Bafana winning a world cup...probably one of the best achievements for a long time.

betaboy

Aug 6, 2013, 9:17 AM

I didnt know if I'd ever see a South African in yellow in my lifetime. When that moment happened it took me right back to standing on the pave in Paris awaiting the peleton. Well Done. This is history in the making, been the first is ground breaking!

JGR

Aug 6, 2013, 9:30 AM

Semi high jack, we were talking about the swimmers earlier.

 

http://www.sport24.c...onsors-20130804

 

G

Im not playing down their plight but I was referring to the 'award' each respectively recieved. Im also quite sure Impey struggled with sponsorship starting out. My issues is the R15k he was given .... it was a joke - on par with adminstrators flights to the FINA event

awesme

Aug 6, 2013, 9:33 AM

Not arguing, agreeing.

 

G

 

Im not playing down their plight but I was referring to the 'award' each respectively recieved. Im also quite sure Impey struggled with sponsorship starting out. My issues is the R15k he was given .... it was a joke - on par with adminstrators flights to the FINA event

JGR

Aug 6, 2013, 9:50 AM

Not arguing, agreeing.

 

G

I guess all main stream sports receive the lime light ..... To think Elton Jantjies got over R2m for his 'season' at the stormers and lets not talk about Wayne PArnell getting over a R1m for a 4 week tournement and then getting injured and not bowling a ball.

 

Either way he is a legend!

Bat-ass

Aug 6, 2013, 10:00 AM

Dont even get me started on this...... Look at athletics....

No money to send University athletes to athletic meets in europe, and then it comes out in the wash that a group of fat cat "observers" went to the meet.. business class and 5star hotels? Ate all the chicken drumstiks europe could offer!!

 

Then...... when an athlete pays his own way to europe and medals at a meet... Athltics SA bang their chest... "loook at our atleets"

 

The Brits have every right to claim Froome.... they threw big money at developing him and the Great Britian Cycling build up to london 2012. Would be interesting to find out from Chris if Cycling SA ever helped him with 1c to get to where he is?

 

Would also be interesting to know indirectly how much daryl has benefited from Australian Government cycling projects. probably quite a bit.... Wonder how much support he got from our governing body to go cut his teeth in Europe back then?

 

BTW... sorry about the rant.... and my eyes welled up every time i saw the SA flag and Daryl in yellow... just wish our government would throw all these up and coming athletes a lifeline...

awesme

Aug 6, 2013, 10:07 AM

I know fame does not pay accounts, and it's sad that ASA is not there to help.

 

But I also think nothing can replace, be worth more to him than the first South African to wear Yellow.

 

G

 

I guess all main stream sports receive the lime light ..... To think Elton Jantjies got over R2m for his 'season' at the stormers and lets not talk about Wayne PArnell getting over a R1m for a 4 week tournement and then getting injured and not bowling a ball.

 

Either way he is a legend!

awesme

Aug 6, 2013, 10:08 AM

I'm gonna take a bet and say naddy, zero zulz,

 

ASA likes taking credit, but not quick to invest anything, other than a 5star hotel or a first class ticket for themself.

 

G

 

Dont even get me started on this...... Look at athletics....

No money to send University athletes to athletic meets in europe, and then it comes out in the wash that a group of fat cat "observers" went to the meet.. business class and 5star hotels? Ate all the chicken drumstiks europe could offer!!

 

Then...... when an athlete pays his own way to europe and medals at a meet... Athltics SA bang their chest... "loook at our atleets"

 

The Brits have every right to claim Froome.... they threw big money at developing him and the Great Britian Cycling build up to london 2012. Would be interesting to find out from Chris if Cycling SA ever helped him with 1c to get to where he is?

 

Would also be interesting to know indirectly how much daryl has benefited from Australian Government cycling projects. probably quite a bit.... Wonder how much support he got from our governing body to go cut his teeth in Europe back then?

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