The sporting year that was
The last year has been an exciting one for the sporting fraternities in Springs with a number of sportsmen and women excelling during 2013.
Here we take a look at the year that was and the people who made the news.
January
* The Selection Park Tennis Club won the 2013 Summer League, demolishing their opposition in the process.
* Springs resident Odine Kirsten was chosen for the SA under 19 women’s cricket side.
* Nineteen-year-old Storm Coelho from Geduld, who is an amateur Mixed Marital Arts (MMA) fighter, organised and ran his own MMA show at Impala Park Community Hall in Boksburg.
* Residents of Gauteng interested in MMA fighting were given the opportunity to train with Brian Ebersole, MMA fighter from the USA when he held training seminars in the province.
February
* Fourth degree Brazilian Jin-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt instructor and founder of the Rio Grapping Club, Roberto Atallah , held his first South African seminar right here in Springs.
* Jared Buissinni and Michael Henry, called the T-Team went head-to-head at the Midmar Mile and both finished with very respectable times.
* The 2013 Unlimited Dusi Marathon Race from Pietermartizburg to Durban saw Springs father and son combination of Leon and Hendré Tieleman racing together.
* Men and woman at the Body Quest Gym in the Avenues Shopping Centre joined a special aerobics class which held to promote awareness of woman and child abuse.
March
* The Striders annual 32/16km road race, which traditionally attracts hundreds of runners was a success. The streets were a sea of colour as runners wore their respective club shirts and some dressed in funny hats or carried unusual flags.
* Current SA U/105kg strongman champion from Springs, Willie White competed in the Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Man competition in Australia, winning a fourth place finish overall.
* A Daggafontein resident, Mvuyisi Nyamenda (36) who had his sights set on running in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town saw it not only as a simple enjoyment, but as a way to “run out of poverty” and provide for his family.
* Students from the Michael Roetz Karate Institution did well at the Eastern Gauteng karate trials, with one of the students Tiaan Venter being selected to fight at the Nation Championships.
April
* Two teams from Springs Boys’ High entered the Cansa Relay for Life and completed the 12 hour walk in Boksburg.
* Springs Town Rugby Club took on Johanesburg’s Pirates in which the Pirates sides won every single match, thrashing Springs Town.
* Impala Platinum cycling club rode for a purpose and raised money for the Dr WK du Plessis School.
* Sixteen-year-old Kim de Klerk from Veritas College won the SA Amateur Golf Tournament B Division and has big dreams for her golfing future.
May
* Top female motocross rider Toni Jardine, sponsored by the Roost KTM in Springs, competed in Europe against the world’s top female bikers at the Women’s World Enduro Cup.
* The under 7 Valkie rugby team from Christiaan Beyers school and Lodewyk Marais played their little hearts out at the Valkie Rugby tournament.
* MMA fighters Stephan Pretorius and Tumisang Madiba from the Rio Grappling Club were in fighting spirits at the beginning of the MMA season.
* Impala Platinum Refineries held a sports day at Hugenote High School to highlight a sports academy programme that has been running for the past 6 years.
June
* Springs Striders did Springs proud despite boiling temperatures at the Comrades Marathon.
* The Springs Striders held their Aches and Pains party after the sweat and tears of the Comrades.
* Bradley Harper, a Springsite was drafted for the U/17 rugby team for a Scottish Rugby Club.
* MMA fighters Tumisang Madiba and Stefan pretorius from Rio Grappling took part in a tough set of fights at at MMA Fight Stars 3 tournament.
July
* During Rina Labuschagne’s sporting career she has taken part in, and obtained top honours in, athletics, swimming, lifesaving, judo and karate. Her love for sport drives her passion in administrating and foreseeing that sport development can be seen on a grassroots level with the help of the metro.
* Warren de Beer particiapted in the full contact event in the U/73kg category of the Amateur South African Kickboxing Championships in Oudtshoorn for the fourth time. He won two of the three rounds agains his opponent. He was also selected for the National team in his division.
* Selcourt rugby talent Wesley Scougal’s life changed on October 20, 2007 when he broke his neck in the first five minutes of a rugby match during a tour in Uruguay. Despite being told he would never walk again, he has endured a long process of rehabilitation to take on new challenges.
* Veritas College hosted Princethorpe College from England in a day of friendly netball, hockey and rugby matches for boys and girls. All the games were good spirited and Princethorpe showed their class and outplayed Veritas, beating Veritas in the rugby match.
August
* Francois Groenewald fought in the shortest fight of his life when he climbed into the cage to fight against Gareth Buirski in the featherweight non title EFC21 boat at Carnival City. The fight was over within 35 seconds when Groenewald hit the mat after being hit with Buirski’s right hook.
* Toni Jardine, sponsored by Roost KTM in Springs is a top South African ladies morocross rider that has excelled in a number of races. She put her trusty Roost EC Security KTM EXC 200 to the test and managed to pul off a win at the Bell 400 in Vryheid. Toni also took part in the female competition in the Pilgrims rest National Enduro whe she amanged to place fourth out o fa field of 15 Silver Class riders.
* Springs-born Jarrod Pretorius was part of the management team of the visiting Great Britian’s U/18 baseball team. He started playing baseball at the age of five and currently plays for the Harlow Nationals. The team visited South Africa to play a five-game series against selected U/18 teams.
* Springs EFC fighters took part in two incredible fights at the EFC Africa 22. Cedric Doyle of Rio Grappling lost to Nkazimulu Zulu who turned the odds in the second round at 4 minutes and 28 seconds. JP Kruger, however, battled it out for the title champion and came out as the winner, defending his title once again.
* Father and daughter Ray and Kerryn Roodt tackled the 94.7 Cycle Challenge in November. Kerryn was shot in a robbery three years ago and is paralysed from the chest down. Ray made a trailer for her which he will tow behind his bicycle for the cycle challenge. The will ride for a charity they have registered.
September
* Byran Smit, a young Blackfin Swimming Club swimmer excelled in the Adrian Grafe Memorial Gala held in Germiston. Although the temperature was a little chilly Byron did extremely well winning first place in the 50m butterfly, 50 backstroke and the 50m breaststroke as well as achieving second place in the 50m freestyle.
* Megan Wilke, Springs’ golden girl from Dr Johan Jurgens School won a silver medal in the high jump with a height of 1.60m at the 11th Africa Athletics Championships in Mauritius. She is the current Africa Junior Champion in javelin and also the SA U/20 javelin champion.
* Springs Stealers played extremely well during the year. The played in the final battle for the Championship Cup, but was sadly retired without being able to get a runner on base. They lost the cup to Red Sox.
* Springsites Phillip and Engela Nel and Tienie and Carien van Rooyen joined the Quads4Quads race for the first time in the Milnex 212cc team. Phillip was driving his Hujuda 800
cc side-by-side, with Engela in the passenger seat. Engela acted as co-driver. Tienie and Carien formed the back up team.
October
* With the immense pressure to win on their shoulders, Springs Home Sweepers faced Johannesburg’s Croesus Ladies FC in a game that ended in a draw of 1-1.
* The Blackfin Swimming Team took part in the Eastern Gauteng Aquatics Summer 1 gala held at the Delville swimming pool in Germiston.
* Pieter Esterhuizen is an avid cyclist. Working and living in Northriding, he stumbled across Vita Nova Centre in Daggafontein by chance and had no idea it would influence him the way it has.
* The Blackfin Swimming Team won their club more medals at the Eastern Gauteng Aquatics summer gala 2 at Delville swimming pool in Germiston.
* At the World Body building Federation’s SA Championships the Men’s Physique winner was Dawayn Botha. In the over 80kg division Raymond Nortje came first and his brother Werner Nortje second. Justin Claasen won second place on the 70kg division.
November
* KwaThema resident, Vusi Bilankulu featured in the first of six bouts at the Boxing Explosion event which took place at Carnival City on October 31.
* Springs-based paddlers were among the local canoeists who jumped at the opportunity to race in the Vaal RiverSA K2 Championships doubles canoe race.
* Springs Old Boys Premier side played at Willomoore Park on November 17 against Tembisa in a 38 over reduced game due to a wet pitch.
* It was a proud moment for all the students of the Combat Zone Kickboxing Club who received awards at the annual prize giving ceremony.
December
* The Selection Park Tennis Club has experienced a great year of tennis with both the A and B teams winning their summer league.
* The Springs Striders held their annual charity run on December 8 where members ran through the streets of Springs adorned in their finest Christmas clothing.
