Khotso Mokoena made South Africa proud by winning a medal at the Beijing Olympics, the ministry of sport and recreation said on Tuesday.

"Your achievement came at a point when South Africa has been waiting in anticipation for a first medal in this edition of the Olympic Games," Sport Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said in a statement.

Congratulating Mokoena for winning a silver medal in the long jump, Stofile said South Africa was proud of his achievement and hoped that it would serve as an inspiration to team members.

"We hope that you will use it as a tool to help motivate your peers in realising that with dedication, winning is inevitable and that given opportunity, anything is possible. We hope too, that this medal, will open the flood gates of medals to come from Team South Africa in Beijing."

Mokoena won a silver medal with a 8.24 metre jump. The gold medal was won by Irving Saladino of Panama with a jump of 8.34 metres.