Brandon Stone (world no. 92), Jaco van Zyl (world no. 67), Paula Reto (world no. 122) and Ashleigh Simon (world no. 214) qualified directly among the top 60 eligible players for their respective individual events based on the IGF World Rankings as of 11 July 2016. Former major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, ranked twelfth and twentieth in the men's world rankings respectively, announced in April 2016 that they would not compete in Rio. South Africa has entered one artistic gymnast into the Olympic competition for the first time since 2004. Ryan Patterson had claimed his Olympic spot in the men's apparatus and all-around events at the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro. Moreover, he became the first male South African gymnast to compete at the Games since 1956. South Africa has qualified one judoka for the men's middleweight category (90 kg) at the Games. Zack Piontek was directly ranked among the top 22 eligible judokas for men in the IJF World Ranking List of 30 May 2016. South Africa has qualified a total of five boats for each of the following rowing classes into the Olympic regatta. Four rowing crews had confirmed Olympic places for their boats each in the coxless pair and lightweight double sculls (both men and women) at the 2015 FISA World Championships in Lac d'Aiguebelette, France, while the men's four rowers were further added to the South African roster as a result of their top two finish at the 2016 European & Final Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland. The rowing team, led by London 2012 gold medalists John Smith and James Thompson, was named as part of the full nomination of South African athletes for the Games on 14 July 2016. Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage  The South Africa men's rugby sevens team qualified for the Olympics by having achieved one of the top four places at the 2014–15 Sevens World Series. ----  South African sailors have qualified one boat in each of the following classes through the individual fleet World Championships.