Taking a look back at local sporting highlights of 2015
2015 was a busy year on the sporting front, with Boksburg achieving a number of highs.
Here is a look back at some of the memorable moments.
January
Salute to the champion: Garreth “Soldierboy” McLellan (12-2-0) became the second EFC fighter to be signed to the UFC, following former EFC heavyweight champion, Ruan Potts, who was signed earlier in this year.
The game is on, SA Open tees off: Ekurhuleni hosted the SA Open at Glendower Golf Club between January 8 and 11.
Boksburg minor races to hat-trick at Rock Raceway: Megan “Rowdy Megz” Kotze pulled off a three-heat victory over her competitors.
February
Day edges Fouche for glory: Krugersdorp rider Tyler Day edged out 2014 champion Herman Fouche in a close finish in the men’s elite category at this year’s Dis-Chem Ride for Sight race on Sunday, February 15.
Astronomical news for Easterns hockey: Hockey lovers in Ekurhuleni were over the moon with the completion of the first phase of construction of the Eastern Gauteng Hockey Association’s (EGHA) AstroTurf facility, at their new site, in Benoni.
Boksburg duo complete Trans Agulhas Challenge: Boksburg inflatable boat racers Desmond Potgieter and Ruan van Tonder completed the podium of the latest edition of the Trans Agulhas Challenge (TAC). They finished third overall in the Blue Print Class in a time of 10:46:50.
March
Boksburg Cricket Club win Promotion League, return to Premier League: Talismanic batsman John Haywood hit a half-century before finishing with 82, as the Boksburg Cricket Club sensationally blitzed to the Promotion League title, with a convincing 127-run victory, away to Bakerton, on Sunday, March 15.
Tommy puts ‘The Lion’ to sleep: WBC International champion Tommy Oosthuizen extended his undefeated record by beating a courageous Ryno “The Lion” Liebenberg for the vacant IBO Light Heavyweight Title.
Awesome astro officially opened: The official opening of the Eastern Gauteng Hockey Association (EGHA) AstroTurf took place on Saturday, March 7.
April
Smith leads Bronco to Masonic Cup title defence: Forward Remano Smith bagged a hat-trick as champion Bronco Football Club successfully defended their Masonic Cup title at the annual Easter Tournament at the WJ Stadium in Reiger Park on Monday, April 6.
Burger wins Cape Tour: Boksburg cycling stalwart Lynette Burger clinched the women’s elite race at the Cape Town Cycle Tour, in a heart-stopping finish, to make up for her disappointing loss at the Carnival City Macsteel race.
Renovated jukskei club reopens: A new and refurbished Boksburg Jukskei Club held its grand reopening.
May
ERPM Golf Club hosts Districts Tournament: The ERPM Golf Club in Boksburg played host to one of the more prestigious tournaments on the country’s golfing calendar – the 2015 South African Country Districts Tournament.
Tough wrestling quartet set to grapple in Egypt: Four wrestlers from the Boksburg Wrestling Club, namely Armando Hietbrink, Marco Coetzee, Jean-Marie Coetzer and Ivan Smith, secured qualification to the African Continental Championships, which ran between May 28 and 31.
Ndlovu wins 32km Colgate Road Race: Don Ndlovu beat thousands of other hopefuls to clinch first prize in the 32km 2015 Colgate Road Race, in a time of 1:46:20 minutes, on Sunday, May 3.
June
Danone Champs: Johannesburg outfit Bree Primary School defeated their Sonqoba counterparts to be crowned the 2015 u-12 Danone Nations Cup Champions, at Reiger Park’s WJ Clement Stadium, on Saturday, June 13.
Easterns cricket awards: CBC Old Boys’ talented left-handed opening batsman, Wesley Coulentianos, received recognition for finishing the season as the Premier League’s top batsman (he scored 531 runs in 10 batting innings, with a sublime average of 91.8).
Local pool master takes aim at world champs: Boksburg’s own Pieter du Toit was part of a team of seven pool players who jetted off to Blackpool in England to represent the country at the 2015 World 8 Ball Pool Championships.
July
Duane shows class in RvP Tournament: Upcoming Boksburg football star Duane Bennett starred in the 2015 Robin van Persie International Tournament in Holland.
Local swimmer bound for Student Games in Korea: Pan Pacific Championships swimmer Douglas Erasmus competed in the World Student Games held in South Korea, between July 3 and 14.
SA reaches quarter final at pool championships: South African Championship pool player Pieter du Toit and his team of fellow players secured a quarter final finish at the 2015 World 8 Ball Pool Championships in Blackpool, England.
August
League to serve up ace tennis players: The Aces Tennis League (ATL), which launched at the Parklands Estate, Boksburg, in August, is the first private tennis league in South Africa for individual tennis players.
United power to Merlin League final: East Rand United held off Sasolburg in a hard-fought 30-26 victory in the Merlin League semi-final, played at the Reiger Park Sport Arena, on Saturday, August 15.
Talented du Toit gets national hockey call-up: Jean-Leigh du Toit (15), a prodigious Dr EG Jansen pupil, was recently selected for the South African u-16 team by the South African Schools Hockey Association (Sashoc).
September
ER United we stand: East Rand United produced one of the greatest comebacks in Valke Merlin League rugby history with a high-scoring 56-51 final win against rivals Nigel.
Titans show unlimited love: Players from the Unlimited Titans traded their pads and bats for paint brushes and spades, as they sought to give underprivileged preschool Happiness Crèche, in Angelo, a makeover on Tuesday, September 8.
New milestone for Sensei Madgwick: South African Team Kata champion Sensei Marius Madgwick earned selection by SASCOC to represent the country at the All-Africa Games in Congo-Brazzaville between September 4 and 19.
October
Hekkie wins fight of the year contender: WBA and IBO minimum weight champion Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler survived what would have been a major upset on the night as he edged out Simphiwe Khonco in their main event bout at Emperors Palace.
Boxing champions honoured: The East Rand Veterans Boxing Association held their annual Champions Night, at the Primrose Bowling Club, on October 8.
SA hockey call-up: Sunward Park hockey player Spencer Botes was chosen for the South African u-18A side that will participate in a tournament in Australia next year.
November
Naicker annihilates drag racing record: Sunward Park driver Logan Naicker (46) ripped apart the long-standing 800m Saldanha Drag record of 285km/h with his Alpha 12 Nissan Skyline GTR 35, in Cape Town, on Saturday, November 7. He clocked 319km/h from standstill at the West Coast Racing event.
Ruan du Plessis produces the magic against Springs: A century from Ruan du Plessis helped Boksburg’s Premier XI post a healthy 249 in their Easterns Cricket Premier League encounter against Springs Old Boys, at Prince George Park. He ended with 109 off 75 balls.
Former boxer signs with EFC: Former world middleweight boxing champion Ruben Groenewald signed with EFC Africa on a six-match contract.
December
Boksburg’s path to glory marked by 15 league wins: The Boksburg Football Club is the 2015 Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) champion.
Muir hooks the spotlight at the Valke dinner: Valke hooker Dean Muir was named the Valke Player of the Year and the Player’s Player of the Year.
Kamanga takes Roman to school at Christmas Cracker: Paul Kamanga stamped his authority on the welterweight division when he registered an impressive win over Kazakhstan international Roman Zhailauov, for the vacant WBA Pan African welterweight title at Emperors Palace. – @SabeloBoksburg
