What a year of Brakpan sport: May highlights
The year 2017 was a busy one for Brakpan’s sportspeople.
There were ups and there were downs.
This is the 2017 Brakpan year in review.
May
• The Valke Rugby Union’s top club competition, the Peregrine League, kicked off on May 6. Defending league champions Brakpan Rugby Club’s first XV travelled to Prince George Park in Boksburg to play their old rivals and found themselves on the wrong side of a 25-17 shock defeat at the hands of the team dubbed “The Owls”.
• Our wrestlers from Brakpan Wrestling Club – Fernando Booysen, Jacques Kriel, Martin Eramsus and Cheyenne Smit – returned home after an extremely successful performance at this year’s Continental Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco. The cadets kicked off the campaign with an excellent performance, winning five gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. Newcomer Booysen (u-42kg) opened the cadet freestyle medal count with a gold medal at his very first Continental Championships.
• Dricus du Plessis sealed his spot as the undisputed EFC welterweight king at EFC 59 on May 13. Hosted at Carnival City’s Big Top Arena, champ du Plessis faced the wild-card Brazilian Jose Da Rocha in his first title defence.
• Former PGA European Tour and Asian Tour professional Anton Haig gave himself a belated birthday present when he captured his fifth IGT Challenge Tour title with a brilliant seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the State Mines Challenge in Brakpan on May 10.
• After their defeat to Boksburg away from home the weekend prior, Brakpan Rugby Club’s first XV bounced back in dramatic fashion against tough opponents in the form of Vereeniging. The “Panne” outfit, last year’s Valke Peregrine League champions, played their first match of the league campaign at Bosman Stadium on May 13. A penalty kick at the death ensured a 15-13 victory for Brakpan.
• A monumental rugby event took place at the Bosman Stadium on May 20 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Valke Rugby Union (former Eastern Transvaal Rugby Union). Reunions took place for all players who have represented the Valke/ Eastern Transvaal over the decades, as well as former and current Benoni, Brakpan, Springs and Nigel players and referees. An exciting SuperSport Rugby Challenge clash between the Valke and the Pumas was played at the Bosman Stadium and the match itself did not disappoint. A drawn 41-41 result was indicative of the tense battle that played out on the Brakpan field. The other big clash of the day saw a club rivalry play out between Brakpan Rugby Club and old rivals Springs. The match ended with Brakpan on the wrong side of a 23-17 score line.
• After suffering two defeats at the hands of Boksburg and Springs in their first three matches of the competition, the Brakpan first team rediscovered their winning ways with a 52-18 home win over North West University – Vaal (NWU-Vaal) on May 27.
Also read: Double gold for Dricus du Plessis
Wrestling magic made in Morocco
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