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Sport and Recreation

South Africa Yearbook 2015/16 Sport and Recreation

South Africa Yearbook 2015/16 393 Sport and Recreation Sport and Recreation

The aim of the Department of Sport and • R628,6 million to support the provision Recreation South Africa (SRSA) is to oversee of mass participation opportunities in sport the development and management of sport and and recreation under the banner of the Active recreation in South Africa. Nation programme The department was established in terms of • R133,2 million to develop and maintain an the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998 integrated support system to enhance the (Act 110 of 1998) which provides the framework of sport and recreation for relationships between the department and • R124,8 million for provision of strategic its external clients. This includes the SRSA's leadership, management and a support partnership with the South African Sports Confed- service to the department and the sector eration and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), • R92,2 million to support the development of which is key to improving South Africa’s interna- elite athletes tional ranking in selected sports. • R9,7 million towards the regulation and The Act also ensures that sport and physical management of the provision of sport and education contribute to social cohesion by recreation facilities. legislating on sports infrastructure and partici- pation. Entities The department is also guided by the policy The department administers and controls two documents from the United Nations (UN) public entities: which are relevant to the sport and recreation • South Africa (BSA), which was sector. The post-2015 Development Goals established in terms of the South African were adopted by the UN General Assembly on Boxing Act, 2001 (Act 11 of 2001). 25 September 2015 and they succeeded the • The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Millennium Development Goals. (SAIDS), which was established in terms of the The SRSA took note of the revised Interna- SAIDS Act 1997 (Act 14 of 1997) as amended. tional Charter of Physical Education and Sport by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Boxing South Africa Organisation (UNESCO) that was adopted at its BSA's intention is to ensure effective and General Conference on 11 November 2015. efficient administration of professional boxing in South Africa; to create synergy between profes- Sport and Recreation South sional and amateur boxing; and to promote Africa interaction between associations of boxers, Aligned with the SRSA's vision of an active and managers, promoters, trainers, officials and winning nation, the department primarily focuses BSA. on providing opportunities for all South Africans It also considers applications for licences from to participate in sport; manages the regulatory all stakeholders in professional boxing. By the framework; and provides funding for different end of the 2015, BSA had granted 901 licences. sporting codes. The organisation had 110 newcomers from all The right to participate in sport has been the provinces with 13 of them being female. embodied in UN instruments such as the BSA sanctions fights; implements the relevant Convention on the Rights of the Child and the regulations; and trains boxers, promoters, ring Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of officials, managers and trainers. Discrimination Against Women. It is recognised During 2015, BSA established the Disciplinary as a right which all governments should make Committee, Arbitration Committee and the available to people. Appeals Committee. The sporting body The SRSA aims to maximise access, also established fully functional ratings and development and excellence at all levels of sanctioning committees. participation in sport and recreation to improve BSA planned to host international tournaments the quality of life for all South Africans. in 2015/16 to improve the visibility of the sport domestically and internationally; and also Budget and funding increase its popularity among all relevant The total allocation for the department was stakeholders including athletes, supporters and R988,5 million, having gone up by R18,1 million sponsors. By the end of 2015, BSA had staged from the previous year’s allocation of R970,4 71 tournaments. million. This constituted budget growth of 1.87%. In May 2016, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula The allocation of the budget was: announced Tsholofelo Lejaka as the new chief

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executive of BSA and detailed SRSA's plan to tional Anti-Doping Arrangement and the restore boxing to its former glory. Association of National Anti-Doping Organi- Over 1.3 million households across the country sations. Special assistance and support was enjoyed live boxing matches following the return given to the South African Doping Control of the sport to the small screen in 2015. The Laboratory in Bloemfontein, Free State, in SRSA invested approximately R11 million to order for it to meet the obligations of the new roll out the Boxing is Back initiative which was anti-doping code. The budget allocated to launched in seven of the nine provinces. SAIDS by SRSA was R19.8 million. Some other key successes in the boxing fraternity included the opportunity for revenue Transformation in sport generation for BSA and opportunities for In line with the National Sport and Recreation upcoming promoters, boxers and dedicated Plan (NSRP), a pilot transformation audit was slots for women boxers. conducted on the top five National Federations: rugby; ; soccer; and athletics. South African Institute for Drug-Free In August 2015, the Recognition of Women in Sport Sport programme, which aimed to honour the The SAIDS, as the national anti-doping organi- role of women in sport, was celebrated alongside sation, is mandated to promote participation in government’s Women’s Month Programme. sport without the use of prohibited performance- The objective was to encourage women's enhancing substances and methods. participation and to highlight the role they play All South African sports organisations and in sport. national federations are obliged to recognise Women’s achievements in sport were also SAIDS’ authority and to comply with its directives celebrated during the 2015 South African Sport following South Africa’s endorsement of the Awards ceremony held in Mangaung, Free World Anti-Doping Code and the UNESCO State, in November 2015. convention on anti doping. The Ministerial Recognition of Excellence The organisation's key focus areas are: Awards went to Zanele Situ, Faith Sibeko, • Doping control: The SAIDS is responsible Zola (Budd) Pieterse, Hestrie (Cloete) Els and for the development of anti-doping policies. Geraldine Pillay. The institute conducts a comprehensive, independent and effective national doping- Role players control programme on South African athletes South African Sports Confederation and competing at regional, national and interna- Olympic Committee tional levels. The SAIDS also conducts in– The SRSA and SASCOC cooperate closely on and out-of-competition doping control tests on issues of mutual importance, and the SRSA international athletes on behalf of international provides funding to SASCOC for initiatives such sports federations and other international as the preparation of elite athletes for interna- anti-doping organisations. tional events. • Education: The SAIDS provides anti-doping The committee is the national controlling education, information and awareness for body for the promotion and development of athletes; coaches; parents; sports organi- high-performance sport in South Africa and sations; members of the medical, pharma- consults with relevant sports bodies in this ceutical and sports-science professions; regard. tertiary-education institutions; and the public. SASCOC represents South Africa for all • Research: The SAIDS conducts sociological multi-coded sport participating in international research about the knowledge, attitude and games, such as the ; Paralympic use of performance-enhancing drugs among Games; ; and All-Africa South African sportspeople, for the purpose of Games. planning and implementing effective doping- Working with SASCOC, the Free State control and education programmes. Provincial Government and through contri- • International collaboration: South Africa is an butions from all provincial sport and recreation active participant in the global effort to combat departments, SRSA set aside an amount of drugs in sport. The SAIDS collaborates closely R26 million per year, over the Medium Term with counterparts worldwide to improve the Expenditure Framework period, to strengthen of standards and practices in doping control. the National Training Centre (NTC) based in the South Africa is a member of both the Interna- Free State Sport Science Institute.

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The NTC is an Olympic preparatory institution • Fitness Sport Aerobics Federation of Southern for Team South Africa and forms part of Africa the National Academy System for elite and • Federation of Southern Africa high-performance sports. • South Africa The centre prepares national teams and • Jukskei South Africa athletes with scientific, medical and sport- • specific support. • Federation of South Africa • African Union Sports Council Region • Majorette and Cheerleading Association Five (AUSC) South Africa The AUSC Region Five is one of the five regions • Martial Arts and Games Committee of South entrusted with the responsibility to develop Africa sport under the African Union. This follows the • Masters Sports Association of Southern Africa dissolution of the Supreme Council for Sport • Mind Sports South Africa in Africa (SCSA), under which tRegion 5 was • Modern Pentathlon Association of South Africa known as SCSA Zone VI. • Motorsport South Africa • National Amateur Bodybuilding Association of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) South Africa The World Anti-Doping Agency aims to bring • National Horseracing Authority consistency to anti-doping policies and • National Pigeon Organisation of Southern regulations within sport organisations and Africa governments across the world. • National Boxing Organisation of Southern The WADA's NO! to Doping campaign, which Africa has been running since 2010, has become the • leading awareness campaign for most sporting • Orienteering Federation of Southern Africa codes around the globe. • Parachute Association of South Africa • Physically Disabled Association National sport federations • Powerlifting Federation of South Africa The various sporting codes in South Africa are • Powerboat South Africa governed by their own federations and associ- • Ringball South Africa ations. These include: • Roller Sport South Africa • Aero Club of South Africa • • AFL South Africa • SASCOC • Amateur Association of Southern • Scrabble South Africa Africa • Sheep Shearing Federation of Southern Africa • Anglers and Casting Federation of Southern • Shooting Sport Federation of South Africa Africa • Snooker and Billiards South Africa • South Africa • Snow Sports South Africa • • South Africa • South Africa • Union of Southern Africa Wayde van Niekerk, 24, is a sprinter who • South Africa competes in the 200 and 400 metre races. He is the 2016 world record holder and Olympic champion • South Africa in the 400m after breaking Michael Johnson's 1999 record. • Boxing South Africa Van Niekerk is the first person, in history, to run faster • Bridge Federation of Southern Africa than 10 seconds for 100m, 20 seconds for 200m and 44 • South Africa seconds for 400m. • South Africa He was a silver medallist in the 400m at the 2014 Com- • Clay Target Shooting Association of South monwealth Games and took bronze in the 4×400m relay at Africa the 2013 Summer in Russia. • Confederation of Cue Sport South Africa Wayde was initially keen on pursuing the but • he switched focus to sprinting after qualifying for the 200m at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, • Canada. He always ran 100m and 200m until 2012 when • Dance Sport Federation of Sport South Africa he joined Ans Botha, the great-grandmother coach, who • Darts South Africa convinced him to run the 400m. • Deaf Sports Federation of Southern Africa He was born prematurely at 29 weeks, weighed 1.9kg • Federation Bocce and doctors said he would not survive.

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• Soaring Society of South Africa Of the 100 outputs set out on the NSRP, 59% • South Africa had already been implemented by the SRSA by • South African Amateur Fencing Association mid-2016. • South African Bodyboarding Association While it is envisaged that the White Paper on • South African Deep Sea Angling Association Sport and Recreation will remain relevant until • South African Figure Skating Association 2019, the NSRP is closely monitored annually to • South African Fly Fishing Association identify any obstacles that may affect implemen- • South African Football Association tation and the plan will be reviewed in 2020. • South African Gold Panning Association The five strategic focus points of the NSRP • South African Golf Association are: transformation; priority codes; ethical • South African Federation environments; geopolitical sports boundaries as • South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding well as amateur and professional sport. Association • South African School Sport Programme • South African Association The Schools League Programme, which is the • South African National Archery Association main project for the School Sport Programme, • South African National Equestrian Federation starts in February and runs until June every year. • South African Polo Association Part of the league comprises schools • South African Practical Shooting Association competing in intra-school and inter-school • South African league competitions prior to the National School • Sport Championships which take place towards • South African Shore Angling Association the end of each year. • South African Sports Association for the Intellec- Other key elements of the School Sport tually Impaired Programme include: • South African Association • the capacity development programme, which • South African Underwater Sports Federation involves the training of educators and sport • volunteers in sport-specific programmes • South Africa • providing sport equipment and sport attire • Board of Southern Africa support to disadvantaged schools • Taekwondo Federation of South Africa • providing cluster coordinators to aid the • Tenniquoits Board of South Africa delivery and support of sport • Tenpin Association of South Africa • identifying of sport-focused schools in which • Transplant Sports Association of South Africa athletes can be placed to further their sport • development • Tug of War Federation of South Africa • the support to school sport structures at local, • University Sport South Africa district, provincial and national levels. • South Africa There are more than 25 000 schools in South • Water Ski Federation of Southern Africa Africa and around 19 000 are registered to • Weightlifting Federation of Southern Africa participate in the league system. • South Africa The 2015 National School Sport Champi- • Wushu Federation of Southern Africa. onships were held in in December. A sum of R110 million was spent in the School Programmes and projects Sport Subprogramme which provides for the National Sport and Recreation Plan roll-out of school sport in provinces and funds (NSRP) the National School Sport Championships. The NSRP is a 20-year sustainable implemen- A sum of R78,9 million was allocated for the tation plan for the Sport and Recreation Policy championships, which will be hosted once a year Framework as captured in the White Paper in 2015/16 and 2016/17, and twice in 2017/18. on Sport and Recreation. The department has The number of participants is expected to ensured that the NSRP is aligned with the increase from 12 000 to 16 000 as there has National Development Plan. been an increase in the number of sports codes The strategic focus of the NSRP is to included in each championship. reconstruct and revitalise the sport and Some 726 schools were allocated sport recreation sector. It aims to encourage an active equipment and attire as part of SRSA's and winning nation whilst improving the quality intervention to capacitate a specific number of of lives of all South Africans. schools annually.

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National Sports Volunteer Corps (NSVC) 10th Annual Indigenous Games Festival Talented players, athletes, coaches and adminis- (IG 2015) trators across different sporting codes have The 10th annual Indigenous Games Festival, contributed immensely towards South Africa hosted by the SRSA, was held to celebrate being recognised as one of the best sporting Heritage Month from 20 to 24 September 2015 countries worldwide. in Polokwane, Limpopo. The purpose of the NSVC is to provide The festival was hosted in partnership with a platform through which sport greats and the City of Polokwane and Limpopo Department interested South African citizens can use their of Sport, Arts and Culture, as well as the experience, expertise and passion for sport to Department of Cooperative Governance and contribute towards the development of future Traditional Affairs. sport stars. Similar to other sport and recreation codes, A school sports bursary, which offers R100 000 indigenous games impact positively on socio- towards covering the cost of education and economic issues such as African identity; cultural support required by pupils, opened many diversity; education and training; accessibility of opportunities for sports veterans and attracted resources; international relations; and economic retired sports people who had registered with growth. the department to offer their help as coaches, The games played included Ncuva, Jukskei, officials and sports administrators. Dibeke, Diketo, Iintonga, Morabaraba, Kho-kho, Drie Stokkies and Kgati. Major events The indigenous games serve as a vehicle Netball World Cup to afford all South Africans an opportunity to The Spar Protea Netball team came fifth overall be athletes, regardless of race, age or cultural at the 14th Netball World Cup held in Sydney, background. The event also showcased unity , in August 2015. through sport as well as community participation.

11th International Rugby Board World Cup Team South Africa finished third and scooped The Springboks came third at the Interna- 122 medals at the 11th African Games in tional Rugby Board World Cup held in London Brazzaville, Congo, in September 2015. in October 2015 and walked away with bronze medals. 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games The South African swimming team brought FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup home a total of 35 medals from the 2015 During the Fina World Cup, which took place Commonwealth Youth Games held in in from August to November 2015 in cities including September. They won 12 gold, 16 silver and 16 Moscow and Toyko, Cameron van der Burgh bronze medals. and Chad le Clos came out tops with 369 and On 10 September, Zane Waddell was the star 180 points respectively. of the competition after bagging his fourth gold medal in the 50 m freestyle. Transnet Rural and Farm Schools Waddell was also part of the gold-winning 4 x National Tournament 100 m medley relay team, alongside Neil Fair, Established in QwaQwa in 2002, the Transnet Brendan Levy and James Isemonger. Rural and Farm Schools Development Isemonger and Fair raced in the 200 m breast- Programme is one of the flagship projects within stroke and 200 m individual medley respectively, the Transnet Foundation’s sports portfolio. and won a bronze medal each. The Rural and Farm Schools Sport In the ladies’ 50 m freestyle race, Erin Development Programme focuses its efforts Gallagher won silver after finishing her race in on sports development and the SAFA Transnet 25.80 seconds. Football School of Excellence. The programme The ladies’ 4 x 100 m medley relay team targets communities around Transnet's key of Gallagher, Jamie Reynolds, Nathania van expansion areas. Niekerk and Kaylene Corbett grabbed the Two multi-purpose sport courts were bronze medal. completed in Bankhara Bodulong in the Northern Corbett also raced in the 200 m breaststroke Cape in 2015. Sports apparel and equipment where she won her second bronze of the night. was donated to over 194 schools across the country.

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The annual National Tournament for rural In the ladies races, Nathania van Niekerk won and farm schools was held in October 2015, a gold medal in the 200 m backstroke. Tayla with over 1 551 beneficiaries showcasing their Lovemore won the 50 m freestyle with a time of sporting talent to national talent-scouts. 25.97 seconds. During 2015, more than 22 000 learners from Carissa van Rooyen raced in the 50 m across the country put their talent and training to backstroke competition and clocked 30.41 the test by competing in inter-house competitions seconds. but only 2 000 of these athletes were selected In the long distance 800 m freestyle, Michelle to compete in the final Transnet Rural and Farm Weber walked away with the gold medal. Schools National Tournament. In the multi-disability category, Aaron Putz claimed the 50 m breaststroke title in 35.33 South African Sports Awards seconds. Track and field sprinter Wayde van Niekerk was In the S1-S13 events, Hendrik van der Merwe named both the 2015 Sport Star and Sportsman was victorious in 46.85 seconds. of the Year at the 10th Annual South African The staging of this event was made possible Sports Awards held in Mangaung, Free State, in through the support provided by Swimming SA November 2015. partners, SRSA, SASCOC, the National Lotteries Ashleigh Moolman Pasio was the Sportswoman Commission, Rand Water and the South African of the Year for the second year in a row. Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The Sportswoman with Disability and Sportsman with Disability awards went to Ilse 20th Confederation African Athletics Hayes and Lucas Sithole respectively. Basketball Championships received the National Federation of the Year title. The 20th African Championships in Athletics The rest of the results included: were held in Durban, South Africa, from 22 to 26 • Sport Administrator of the Year – Virginia June 2016. It was the second time that Durban Mabaso and South Africa hosted this competition. • School Team of the Year – St Johns College South Africa ranked first with 33 medals: 16 – Junior Men’s Pair gold, nine silver and eight bronze. • Developing School Team of the Year – Caster Semenya won three gold medals for Montshiwa Primary School each of her races: 800m, 1500m and 400m • Indigenous Games Team of the Year – relays. KwaZulu-Natal Dibeke Team • Recreational Body of the Year – Indigo Skate Olympic Games Rio 2016 Camp Team South Africa exceeded their Olympic • Photographer of the Year – Veli Nhlapo medal record at the August 2016 Olympics held • Sport Journalist of the Year – Bareng-Batho in Rio, Brazil. The athletes won 10 medals: two Kortjaas gold, six silver and two bronze. • Newcomer of the Year – Kagiso Rabada Wayde Van Niekerk and Caster Semenya • Team of the Year – Springbok Sevens were the gold winners. Chad le Clos brought • Coach of the Year – Graham Hill home two silvers; Luvo Manyonga, Sunette • Volunteer of the Year – Nkosinathi Ngubane. Viljoen, Cameron van der Burgh and the rowing team of Shaun Keeling and Lawrence Brittain National Aquatic Championships each won silver medals for their respective Durban's Kings Park Aquatics Centre hosted disciplines. the SA National Aquatic Championships in April Henri Schoeman and Dylan Sage rounded off 2016. the South African medal count with their bronze The event concluded with a total of 13 Olympic medals. and 17 Paralympic qualifying times. Alani Ferreira competed in the 200 m individual Athletics medley and clocked a new Paralympic African Henricho Bruintjies set a new national mark in Record with a time of 2:50.43. the men's 100m at the Resisprint International Chad le Clos earned his third Olympic qualifi- meeting held in Switzerland in July 2015. He cation time and the gold medal in the 100 m race. sprinted 0.01 seconds faster than the previous In the non-Olympic 50 m breaststroke final, South African record of 9.98 held by Simon Cameron van der Burgh won after clocking Magakwe. 27.17 seconds.

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Athletics South Africa (ASA) successfully Masters Championships which took hosted the South African Marathon Champi- place in May 2016 . onships in Mossel Bay in September 2015. In March 2016, at the fourth Confederation Boxing African Athletics Cross Country Championships, The SRSA planned for boxing to be turned into South Africa bagged two bronze medals. a leading sporting code in South Africa by 2017. In April 2016, Lupho April took the HAJ Vision 2017 was a strategy to resuscitate and Hannover Marathon in Germany for the third promote boxing countrywide. The plan would time. The South African became the first male improve the administration and safeguard the runner in the history of the event to achieve three health and general well-being of professional victories. boxers. Authorities also pledged to promote, At the International Association of Athletics market and sanction quality boxing events and Federations (IAAF) World Under-20 Champi- tournaments. onships held in Poland in July 2016, Team South Revenues would be generated from Africa won three silver medals. government grants, bequests, site fees, ticket At the end of July, before the 2016 Rio Olympic sales, registration fees, tournament licensing Games, Stephen Mokoka and Irvette van Zyl fees, penalties, incomes from invested surplus, secured the national men's and women's titles sponsorship and fund-raising, broadcast and respectively, at the ASA Half-Marathon Champi- advertising income. onships held in . A sum of R10 million towards development of amateur boxing was set aside for 2015/16. As Biking, mountain biking, cycling a result, South African National Amateur Boxing Cycling South Africa (CSA) hosted the African received a once-off allocation for being chosen Road Championships in Mbombela from 3 to as the Federation of the Year. 8 February 2015. A total of 26 African nations Xolini Ndongeni became the 78th South entered for the championships and elite road African to win a championship belt when he cyclists used this opportunity to earn crucial knocked Jasper Seroka out in the ninth round to Olympic qualifying points. win the IBO lightweight title in East London on 28 The African Road Championships also November 2015. cemented the region's positioning as a key The list of boxers who have won some or other global cycling hub, with Pietermaritzburg being world title goes back to 1927 when Willie Smith established as Africa's Bike City. defeated Teddy Baldock for the British version of CSA earned the respect of the continental and the world bantamweight title. international governing bodies by hosting nine major road, BMX, track and MTB events since Cricket the Worlds View Challenge races in 2008. The South African cricket team toured from The town of Wartburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, 29 September to 7 December 2015. The tour hosted the Confederation of African Cycling consisted of four Test matches, five One Day Road Cycling Championships from 9 to 14 Internationals (ODI) and three Interna- February 2015. This was the first time that South tional (T20I) matches. Africa had ever hosted the continental road This was the first time that a four-match Test cycling showcase event. series between the two nations had been played In February 2016 the SA National Champi- in India. It was also the first time that the Proteas, onships were also held in Wartburg. as the South African cricket team is known, The SA Track and Para-cycling Championships played a T20I against India in India. South Africa took place Port Elizabeth in March 2016. won both the ODI and T20I series. The SA MTB Marathon Championships (Elite, Starting with this series, all bilateral tours Junior and Youth) were held in Clarens in April between India and South Africa will be called 2016. In May, the SA MTB Masters Marathon the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series in Championships were hosted by Pietermaritzburg honour of the two veterans. The teams will be as were the DHI Championships in July 2016. playing for the Freedom Trophy. Major events that were staged in and around AB de Villiers was presented with five of the Pietermaritzburg, as part of the broader Africa nine major awards at a Cricket South Africa Bike City project, include the Pietermaritzburg ceremony in June 2015. The skipper was voted MTB Festival, KwaZulu-Natal Development Cricketer of the Year for the second successive Series, Spur Schools Series and the SA MTB season. His other awards included ODI Cricketer

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of the Year, Cricketers` Cricketer of the Year and In the same month, Altin van der Merwe Supporters` Cricketer of the Year. finished as a runner-up in the final round of the Bizhub Highveld Lions all-rounder, Dwaine Global Junior Golf Tour’s RB German Junior Pretorius, won the Most Valuable Player title for held at Heidelberg Golf Club. his performances in the 2015/16 season. Dylan Frittelli finished joint runner-up while Sunshine Tour rookie Zander Lombard earned a Canoeing, rowing fourth place finish in the Australian PGA Champi- Andy Birkett won the 2015 FNB Dusi onship in Queensland in December 2015. Marathon. He set a new course record. Lance Golf RSA national squad member Dylan Kime finished as runner-up, while Sbonelo Naidoo became the first amateur and youngest Khwela rounded off the podium in third place. winner of a Sunshine Big Easy Tour event when Laura O'Donoghue won the women's race. he lifted the Big Easy Observatory title with a two Canoeing scooped four of the 12 awards stroke victory at Observatory Golf Club in May presented at the KwaZulu-Natal Sports Awards In 2016. November 2015. Cole Stevens and Caitlyn Macnab grabbed Hank McGregor won Sportsman of the Year; top-five finishes in the 13-to-14 age group at the Tim Cornish was the Best Administrator; Kyeta Ciputra Enjoy Jakarta World Junior Golf Champi- Purchase won Best Junior Sportswoman and onship, while compatriots Symone Henriques Craig Mustard was named the Best Coach. and Hilmi Mallick both finished just outside the Canoeists Bridgitte Hartley and Tim Cornish top 10 in the 15-to-17 age group at Damai Indah were shortlisted as finalists for the 2015 Sports Golf in Indonesia in May 2016. Awards. Birkett claimed victory in the South African Hockey Championships in Pietermar- In 2015, the South African men's national field itzburg, and achieved second place in the doubles hockey team was ranked 15th by the Interna- together with his racing partner, Greg Louw. tional Hockey Federation. The Natal Canoe Club star won a The women's national team was at the season-opening 2015 ranked 11th. Federation Canoe Marathon World Champi- The South Africa teams finished in their best onships held in Hungary in September. final positions since the inception of the Indoor South Africa's rowing team walked away Hockey World Cup (IHWC) at the with a bronze medal at the 44th World Rowing World Cup 2015 in the Leipzig Arena, Germany. Championships which were held in France from The world number 18 Spar women’s team 30 August to September 2015. beat Canada 4 – 2 after the score was 2 – 2 at half-time and they ended ninth in the IHWC Golf women’s event. In June 2015 the South African Golf Heritage The South African men beat Canada 2 – 1 to Trust announced that legendary Grand Slam end 11th. champion Gary Player and LPGA Major winner Sally Little had assisted with the opening of the Ice hockey Mercedes-Benz Southern African Golf Hall of The South Africa men's team is ranked 40th in Fame and Heritage Centre at the V&A Waterfront the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in . World Ranking and competes in Division II B. Gary Player was named of South The South African women's national ice hockey Africa’s first Olympic golf team that competed at team finished in 35th position at the IIHF's World the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This was the first Women's Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in Olympic golf competition in 112 years. April 2016. Player, a winner of more than 165 tournaments The ladies' team is the only national women's worldwide, was the only person to complete the ice hockey team on the African continent. career Grand Slam on both the regular and senior tours during his 18 Major Championships. Motorsport Gauteng North’s Keegan de Lange made The motorsport fraternity suffered an immense South African golfing history as the first South loss after the untimely death of one of the African junior to contest the Boys Amateur industry's fastest racers, Gugu Zulu, in July Championship final held in North West 2016. in August 2015. He died on Mandela Day while attempting to

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summit Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for South Africa's Jaco Peyper had the honour of charity. refereeing the opening match at Rugby World The Guinness Achievement and the Goodyear Cup. Star of Tomorrow awards are just some of the In February 2016 at the South African Rugby accolades that Zulu had under his belt. Awards, was named Rugby In December 2015, a few months before the Player of the Year for 2015 at the South African tragedy, Zulu was in attendance as Motorsport Rugby Union Awards held at Vodaworld, South Africa honoured its 2015 National Midrand. Champions, National Protea Colour recipients De Jager became the second youngest winner and Special/Lifetime Award recipients. of the most prestigious award in South African The 2015 Official of the Year, the Steve Wicks rugby since walked away with it Photographer of the Year, and the Environmental in 2005 at the age of 22. Award recipients were also honoured. , , Schalk Two Lifetime Awards were presented to Brian Burger and were also nominated. Hoskins and Richard Schilling. Other winners in Kriel walked away with two accolades – the respective categories included: prestigious Players’ Player of the Year Award, • Special Awards – Alan James (AJ) Kernick, presented by MyPlayers; and the Jacques van Wyngaardt, Volkswagen South Premier Division Player of the Year Award. Africa. The Xerox were named the • Official/Volunteer of the Year – Freda Stols Team of the Year, while Johan Ackermann • Steve Wicks Photographer of the Year Award walked away with the Coach of the Year award – Trevor Tyler for the second consecutive season. • Environmental Award – Megan Els was named Young Player of the SuperGP championship leader Mathew Scholtz Year, while , one of the Junior spent the winter break in America competing Springboks’ stars, walked away with the in the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champi- Under-20 Player of the Year accolade. onship where he scored four consecutive Werner Kok was named ’s podium finishes. Sevens Player of the Year; Veroeshka Grain The selection process for the 2015 Young earned the Women’s Achiever Award and Rasta Driver Excellence Academy involved six Rasivhenge won the Marriott Referee Award. qualifying events across the world. The winners of each selection event automatically qualified Running for a place at the Academy. South Africa's Endurance running is a popular sport in South Jordan Pepper, 18, was the Sub-Saharan Africa Africa and it is widely supported. It is highlighted winner. by two annual ultra-: the Comrades Marathon and the . Netball Both events are world-renowned and attract The South African national netball team, large numbers of participants from across the coached by Norma Plummer and captained globe. by Maryka Holtzhausen, was rated fifth in the The Comrades Marathon covers almost 90 km world by July 2015 according to the International and takes place between Durban and Pieterma- Netball Federation World Rankings. ritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. The team, also known as the Spar Proteas, The Two Oceans Marathon, which takes place qualified for the 14th World Cup which was held in the Western Cape, is divided into two races: in August 2015 in Australia. The 56 km ultra-marathon and the 21.1 km In June 2016, South Africa clinched the half-marathon. SPAR Challenge International Netball Series by The 2015 Comrades Marathon men's race beating Wales 64 – 50. The Baby Proteas also was won by South African Gift Kelehe, 14 years played Wales and won by 88 – 21. after his brother Andrew won the race in 2001. Six of the top 10 runners in the race were also Rugby South African. was the South African rugby History was made by Caroline Wöstmann who favourite in 2015. The skipper captained the won both the Two Oceans and the Comrades Springboks at the Rugby World Cup in England Marathon in 2015 – making her the second in September. The team made it to the quarter woman to ever achieve this. The first woman finals. was Frith van der Merwe in 1989.

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In Beijing, in August 2015, South Africa’s Surfing was officially added to the Sports Wayde van Niekerk became the fourth fastest Programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games man in history to run the 400 m at the IAAF by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) World Championships. on 3 August 2016 during the 129th IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro. Soccer Bafana Bafana played friendly matches against Swimming Costa Rica and Honduras when they toured In August 2015, at the World Deaf Swimming Central America in October 2015. Championships, which took place in Texas, the They beat Costa Rica 1 – 0 at the San Jose South African swimming team won eight medals: National Stadium and drew 1 – 1 in their game three gold, two silver and three bronze. against Honduras at San Pedro Sula’s Olympio The junior South African swimming team Metropolitan Stadium. finished in the top spot at the African Junior In 2016, this South African national football Swimming Championships in Egypt in October team was ranked in the top 100 by the FIFA 2015. The team won 69 medals: 24 gold, 29 World Ranking system. The country's national silver and 16 bronze. women's football team, Banyana Banyana, was In May 2016, the first local swimming-specific also in the top 100. TV show – The Swimming Show – was launched Banyana Banyana qualified for the 2016 Rio on SABC 2. The programme highlights all that Olympics and made it to the final group stage. has to offer including: The South African Under-23 men's soccer Open Water Swim ming, Diving, and team also took part in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Synchronised Swimming. Amaglug-glug, as the team is also known, On 29 June 2016, the AUSC held their took the third spot in the Africa Under-23 Cup of inaugural Regional Awards in , Nations tournament which took place in Senegal South Africa. The purpose of these awards from 28 November to 12 December 2015. was to recognise athletes, coaches and sports This tournament was formerly known as confederations from Southern Africa. the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Swimming South Africa’s National Head Under-23 Championship until 6 August 2015 Coach, Graham Hill, received the Coach of the when the CAF Executive Committee decided to Year honour at the ceremony. change the name to the Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations, similar to the senior players' Africa Cup Tennis of Nations. In September 2015, South Africa's leading tennis player, Kevin Anderson, made history when he Surfing, surfski, sailing kicked Andy Murray out of the Grand Slam in South African Surfing Team captain Antony the fourth round. It was the first time, since the Smyth secured a silver medal in September 2010 US Open, that Murray had lost before the 2015 when he took part in the inaugural Interna- quarter-finals of a Grand Slam. tional Surfing Association (ISA) World Adaptive This was also the first time that Anderson had Surfing Championship in California, USA. ever advanced to the quarter-finals in a major. The South African Junior Surfing Team also By November 2015, Anderson was ranked took to California in October 2015 to join 34 12th, as opposed to 16th in the previous year, other teams from different parts of the World in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in the annual VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing World Tour rankings. He was also nominated Championships. The team came in seventh. for the ATP World Tour's Fans' Favourite Award South African bodyboarding history was made alongside other tennis legends such as Roger by Jared Houston when he won an APB World Federer and Rafael Nadal. Bodyboarding Championship title in November Also in November 2015, Wheelchair Tennis 2015. He became the first South African to win the South Africa (WTSA) scored first place at title since Andre Botha won it in 1998 and 1999. the Jack Cheetham and Letsema Awards in In December 2015, Surfski paddlers from partnership with SASCOC. around the country took part in the Pete Marlin Top-ranked WTSA players: Kgothatso Surfski Race held in East London. The race Montjane, Evans Maripa and quad ace Lucas doubled as the South African Surfski Champi- Sithole jetted off to Australia in January 2016. onships and had thousands of competitors and They were off to compete in the following spectators major season opening international tennis

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tournaments: Queensland Open, Sydney Open, Major sporting activities Melbourne Open and Australian Open Grand Major sporting codes in South Africa include, Slam. among others: Athletics; Biking; Mountain Montjane and Sithole secured spots in the Biking; Cycling; Boxing; Cricket; Canoeing; Melbourne Open Finals. Rowing; Golf; Hockey; Ice Hockey; Motorsport; January 2016 also saw South African top Flying; Netball; Rugby; Running (including South junior, player Alwande Skhosana, who was Africa’s two world-renowned ultra-marathons – ranked third in junior boys wheelchair tennis the Comrades Marathon in KwaZulu-Natal and worldwide, taking part in the 2016 Cruyff the Two Oceans Marathon in the Western Cape); Foundation Wheelchair Tennis Junior Masters in Soccer; Surfing; Sailing; Swimming; Tennis, and France. Chess. South African wheelchair tennis quad player Bongani Dlamini clinched the EZMED Arizona Open singles title in Tucson in March 2016.

Chess In July 2015, South African chess Interna- tional Master and FIDE Trainer, Watu Kobese, launched his isiXhosa chess book, titled Masidlale Uthimba, which aims help grow and popularise the game. In December 2015, the City of Cape Town hosted both the South African Closed Chess Champi- onships. The winners of the tournament were Daniel Cawdrey, Denise Frick and Kulusande Mafanya. The African Youth Chess Championship, which earns the categorical winner personal rights to the World Youth Chess Championship, took place in Zambia in December 2015. Represented by 21 players, team South Africa finished with 13 medals. Talia Govender (Under-8 girls' team) and Naseem Essa (Under-12 boys' team) both won gold medals at the tournament.

Speed skating In September 2015, South African ice skaters Kathryn Winstanley, Michaela du Toit, Matthew Samuel and Ancio van Tonder took part in the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix Series. Two South African skaters participated in the 2015 Speed Skating World Championships in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, in November. Thabo Nylato and Emmanuel Ngobeni competed in the junior men category. In April 2016, South Africa's junior contestants for the ISU World Development Trophy tournament, held in Poland, were Donatella Glatter, Sinali Sango and Jaydean Brits. Glatter came 23rd, Sango seventh and Brits got 17th place. In May 2016 Sango stepped up his game and came back with a bronze from the Eighth Rooster Cup held in Paris, France.

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