What a year of Brakpan sport: September 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.
September
• The big time just wasn’t to be for former Sherwood Gardens resident and Brakpan Wrestling Club champion JP Buys – for now. The former EFC interim flyweight champion missed out on an incredible opportunity on August 22 to earn himself a contract with the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The 21-year-old fighter relinquished his interim EFC flyweight title to compete in UFC president Dana White’s ‘Tuesday Night Contender Series’ in a flyweight bout against previously released UFC fighter Joby Sanchez at the Ultimate Fighter Gym in Las Vegas, USA. Sanchez defeated Buys via TKO two minutes and 28 seconds into the second bout.
• Fifteen top young golfers from the Kenneth Dube Golf Academy, based at Royal Oak Country Club, had membership subscriptions to the club paid for by Impala Platinum Refineries (Implats). Kenneth Dube, golf director at the club, said investments like these are the only way to grow young golfers. With over 50 active junior members, the academy is one of the biggest development programmes in the country.
• One of the biggest South African Kickboxing Association (SAKA) sanctioned kickboxing events, Great North 2, was held at the Brakpan Indoor Sports Centre on August 26. Close to 400 fighters from all over South Africa took part. Shihan Raymond ‘The Whip’ Phillips, tournament director, said this was one of the biggest events ever held in Brakpan.
• Rhona Fuller (74) of the Brakpan Badminton Club participated in the South African Golden Eagles tournament for players 65 years and over. Fuller won the singles title and was also announced Sportswoman of the Year in that age group.
• South Africa hosted the second International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) All Africa Open MMA Championship at the Brakpan Indoor Sports Centre. The appointed director to Africa and tournament director, shihan Raymond Phillips, said the event (held in Brakpan for the second time) was a great success, increasing from three participant countries last year to five this year. Fighters from the Kingdom of Bahrain, Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), India and South Africa battled it out in Brakpan. The competition was held over two days.
Also read: No UFC for JP, for now
Massive kickboxing tourney returns
Follow us:
