A spokesman for the group of athletes who hail from all over India, Sinimole Paulose of Kerala, said the training programme was a tough one, but the large Indian population in Durban had made them feel very much at home.

'We are well taken care of and with the ten of us living like a family, there has not been a chance yet to miss home.'

Matthews said he hoped the presence of the Indian athletes would prove to the South African Indian community that they too could succeed in the international sporting arena.

Although many South African Indians participate in athletic events, there has not yet been a national or international winner from the community in this field.