# South Africa at the 1908 Summer Olympics

South Africa competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. At the time, South Africa consisted of four separate British colonies — the Cape Colony, Natal Colony, the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal Colony; they would form the Union of South Africa in 1910. At the 1908 Olympics, the South African team competed under a flag described as "the Red Ensign with a springbok in the corner."
Hurdler Doug Stupart carried the flag at the opening ceremony.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Gold | Reggie Walker | Athletics | Men's 100 m | July 22 |
| Silver | Charles Hefferon | Athletics | Men's marathon | July 24 |

## Results by event
### Athletics

South Africa was one of 5 nations to win at least one gold medal in athletics, taking the gold medal in the short sprint. Reggie Walker was the 100 metres champion, setting a new Olympic record in the semifinals and matching it in the final. Charles Hefferon added a silver medal in the marathon.
| Event | Place | Athlete | Heats | Semifinals | Final |
| Men's 100 metres | 1st | Reggie Walker | 11.0 seconds 1st, heat 4 | 10.8 seconds (OR) 1st, semifinal 1 | 10.8 seconds (=OR) |
| Men's 100 metres | Semi- finalist | Edward Duffy | 11.6 seconds 1st, heat 1 | Unknown 3rd, semifinal 3 | Did not advance |
| Men's 100 metres | — | Herbert Phillips | Did not finish —, heat 11 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 200 metres | Heats | Edward Duffy | Unknown 2nd, heat 2 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 110 metre hurdles | Heats | Douglas Stupart | Unknown 3rd, heat 1 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 5 miles | 4th | Charles Hefferon | None held | Unknown 2nd, semifinal 1 | 25:44.0 |
| Men's marathon | 2nd | Charles Hefferon | None held | None held | 2:56:06.0 |
| Men's marathon | — | J. N. Mitchell-Baker | None held | None held | Did not finish |
| Men's marathon | — | A. B. Mole | None held | None held | Did not start |
| Men's marathon | — | C. E. Stevens | None held | None held | Did not start |
| Men's marathon | — | Vincent | None held | None held | Did not start |
| Event | Place | Athlete | Distance |
| Men's triple jump | 10th | Douglas Stupart | 13.40 metres |

### Cycling

| Event | Place | Cyclist | Heats | Semifinals | Final |
| Men's 660 yards | Semi- finalist | Floris Venter | 1:03.2 1st, heat 10 | Unknown 4th, semifinal 2 | Did not advance |
| Men's 660 yards | Heats | T. H. E. Passmore | Unknown 2nd, heat 9 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 660 yards | Heats | Philipus Frylink | Unknown 3rd, heat 16 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 660 yards | — | Frank Shore | Time limit exceeded —, heat 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's 5000 metres | Semi- finalist | Philipus Frylink | None held | Unknown 3rd, semifinal 3 | Did not advance |
| Men's 5000 metres | Semi- finalist | T. H. E. Passmore | None held | Unknown 4th, semifinal 4 | Did not advance |
| Men's 5000 metres | Semi- finalist | Floris Venter | None held | Unknown 4-7, semifinal 7 | Did not advance |
| Men's 5000 metres | Semi- finalist | Frank Shore | None held | Unknown 4-9, semifinal 5 | Did not advance |
| Men's 20 kilometres | Semi- finalist | Floris Venter | None held | 32:34.4 3rd, semifinal 2 | Did not advance |
| Men's 20 kilometres | Semi- finalist | T. H. E. Passmore | None held | 32:39.4 3rd, semifinal 4 | Did not advance |
| Men's 20 kilometres | Semi- finalist | Frank Shore | None held | 33:40.0 2nd, semifinal 3 | Did not advance |
| Men's 100 kilometres | — | T. H. E. Passmore | None held | Did not finish —, semifinal 2 | Did not advance |
| Men's sprint | Semi- finalist | Floris Venter | 1:33.2 1st, heat 2 | Unknown 3rd, semifinal 1 | Did not advance |
| Men's sprint | Heats | Philipus Frylink | Unknown 2nd, heat 8 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's sprint | — | Frank Shore | Time limit exceeded —, heat 16 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's tandem | Heats | Philipus Frylink Floris Venter | Unknown 2nd, heat 5 | Did not finish | Did not finish |

### Fencing

| Event | Place | Fencer | First round | Second round | Semi- final | Final |
| Men's épée | First round | Walter Gates | 3-5 (6th in B) | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's sabre | First round | Walter Gates | 0-5 (6th in H) | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Tennis

| Event | Place | Name | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarter- finals | Semi- finals | Final |
| Men's singles | 4th | John Richardson | Bye | Bye | Defeated Foulkes | Defeated Brown | Lost to Froitzheim | Did not advance |
| Men's singles | 16th | Vincent Gauntlett | Bye | Lost to Ritchie | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's singles | 16th | Harold Kitson | Bye | Lost to Caridia | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Men's doubles | 4th | Vincent Gauntlett Harold Kitson | None held | Bye | Defeated Hykš/Slíva | Defeated Froitzheim/Schomburgk | Lost to Cazalet/Dixon | Did not advance |
| Opponent nation | Wins | Losses | Percent |
| Bohemia | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Canada | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Germany | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Great Britain | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| Total | 4 | 4 | .500 |