We're here for medals, say bold South Africans

SYDNEY, Mar 9 (Reuters) The organisers may love to call them the ''friendly games'', but don't be fooled into thinking competitors at the Commonwealth Games wouldn't trade pals for a gold medal.

The notion that athletes are only interested in making friends is long outdated and the competition for medals at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games is set to be as fierce as ever.

The traditional rivalries have usually been centred around England but there are increasingly bitter relations between Australian and South Africans sporting teams.

The two nations have a long history of rivalry in rugby and cricket but the South Africans have vowed to carry that rivalry into the March 15-26 Games.

''We aren't here to play around, we aren't here for a joke,'' South African team boss Gideon Sam told reporters in Melbourne today.

''We will never travel long distances just to become losers.'' Sam, speaking at the team's official welcome at the Games Village, poked fun at Australia's rugby team that lost to South Africa last year and predicted the South African Commonwealth Games team would win ''loads'' of medals in Melbourne.

The South Africans have won 80 Commonwealth Games medals in total since the games began in 1930 to be equal fifth with India behind Australia (646), England (542), Canada (387) and New Zealand (118).

''I know that sometimes we compete very hard with Australia,'' Sam said.

''We met them on the rugby field and we destroyed them last season.

''I want to say to all the people assembled here today that we come from a very proud tradition of South Africans.

''We are here to compete, we will compete fair and square, and we will go home with loads and loads of medals.'' The South Africans also took aim at the Australian men's swim team which has been weakened by the loss of Olympic champions Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett.

The South Africans will be overwhelming favourites to dominate the men's freestyle sprints with Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling but Australian sprinter Brett Hawke warned them not to be too cocky.

''You can talk it up but it is what you do on the day that really counts,'' Hawke said.

REUTERS PDS ND1548