meaning of "to go to the distance"

[Learning_English]

And when the dust settled over the Super Sixes, four teams - Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa were the survivors vying to go the distance. And when a fixture read: South Africa versus Australia, in a rematch of an earlier contested Super Sixes clash, fireworks were just around the corner.

Please explain the highlighted words
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Please let me know if I have made any mistakes in any of my sentences.

[Yankee]

Hi LE

when the dust settled -- when all the activity and excitement ended

to go the distance -- here: survive in a competition and go on to win

when a fixture read -- I assume this means 'when a sign appeared on which was written'
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln