Reuters
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius (left) competes in the men's 400m semifinal at the 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.
London - Amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius was selected to carry South Africa's flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday, bringing an end to the country's campaign at the Olympic Games in London.
While the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee had set a goal of 12 medals, they would have been pleased with the six bagged by Team SA - a marked improvement from the 2008 Beijing Games where they secured one silver.
“Really feel honoured to be chosen to carry the South African flag in the closing ceremony tonight,” Pistorius posted on Twitter.
“What a great ending to the Games it'll be.”
Pistorius, who was cleared to run against able-bodied athletes in 2008, made history in London as the first double amputee to compete at the Games.
He reached the semi-finals of the men's 400m sprint, and while he did not play a part in the 4x400m relay heats, he did compete in the final.
The South African relay quartet did not finish their first-round race, with Ofentse Mogawane falling before he could hand the baton to Pistorius, but they were reinstated after a member of the Kenyan team was found to have tripped Mogawane, and they were handed a ninth spot in the final. They went on to finish eighth.
South Africa ended the Games as the highest African nation in the medals table, in 24th position, with three gold, two silver and one bronze.
Cameron van der Burgh (one gold) and Chad le Clos (one gold and one silver) shone in the swimming pool, bringing home half the medals.
The men's fours rowing team (gold), middle distance runner Caster Semenya (silver), who carried the South African flag at the opening ceremony, and canoeist Bridgitte Hartley (bronze) also added to the tally. - Sapa
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