2015 ROUNDUP: Memorable sporting events

The year 2015 saw several exciting sporting events in Randburg. Some of the highlights were:

Two women runners of the Randburg Harriers Running Club clocked best times in the Varsity Kudu 15km Race on 4 January. Sarah Cooks came first in the master female category, while Beth Libby-Neale was placed third in her category of veteran female.

The Laerskool Louw Geldenhuys U8 cricket team performed admirably when the team from Linden played against a team made up of Proteas men and women cricketers in the second match of the KFC Mini-Cricket vs Proteas Tour at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Illovo on 11 January. They only lost by one run.

The Adventure with Kinetic Gear was held at the Rand Park Golf Course on 28 January. This particular event attracted between 250 to 300 people to experience an adrenalin-packed race. It consisted of a 7km course of a night kayak, net crawls, balance bridge, obstacles and a memory task.

The Honeydew Bowling Club hosted the final round of its three-week long Allen Lewis-Williams Mixed Pairs Memorial Tournament on 6 February.The tournament was held in honour of Allen Lewis-Williams, a valued former member of the club who passed away in 2011.

KFC Randburg Harriers 10km Valentine’s Night Race on 13 February brought through tons of visitors young and old. Mixed generations of runners attended the evening dressed to impress in some interesting outfits.

The Cool Runnings Charity Drive departed from Brightwater Commons on 21 March and ended in Port Elizabeth six days later, all in the aid of the Sunflower Fund of South Africa.

Hundreds of residents took part in the Sunflower Fund fun run at Brightwater Commons. People young and old braved the morning chill to raise money for the organisation and get fit while at it.

Rugby player turned canoeist Graham Paull, (27) won a gold medal in the para-canoe event at the Gauteng Canoe Union Sprint Championships at Roodeplaat Dam on 29 March. The North Riding resident followed his passion for rugby to the point where he was about to play for the Limpopo Blue Bulls. But a spinal infection caused him to be paralysed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.

The Randburg Bowls Club hosted their esteemed Life Members Memorial Tournament which attracted bowlers from across Gauteng on 25 and 26 April. Twenty-four teams from across the province competed in the much anticipated tournament.

Ricky Ellis and Mariella Venter of Waterborn Swimming in Malanshof competed in the SA National Aquatic Championships in April. Both swam backstroke and brought home gold medals.

Mad 2 Run runners completed a relay run from Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge to Cape Town in eight days, between 27 March and 4 April. They ran the 1 490km with a person running at any given time, day or night. They raised R275 000 for the Mad Charity.

A new record was set at the annual Adrienne Hersch Challenge when Lucky Mohale clocked in the 21km race at 01:07:05, one second faster than the previous record. On 10 May, thousands of runners, young and old braced the morning chill, and ran either the 5km, 10km or 21km at the Randburg Sports Complex, Malanshof.

Bryanston golfer Michael Palmer surprised everyone when he came from behind and took the IGT Tour’s CA Academy Classic on 20 May. Palmer played two superb shots that were his saving grace on the 18th hole at Wingate Park Country Club.

Players from the Lions Rugby Union leaped out of their comfort zones with a round of golf at Jackal Creek Golf Estate, Honeydew, on 27 May. The golf day in partnership with Progression Sports was to raise funds for People Opposing Woman Abuse (POWA).

Cameron Brunner (15) was selected for the U18 World Cup indoor team for South Africa. The Rand Park High 1st team cricket player started his indoor cricket career when he filled in for his friend’s indoor cricket team in 2013.

Honeydew resident David McIntyre (18) cruised to a maiden IGT Tour victory in the British Disc Golf Association (BDGA) Academy Classic at Eagle Canyon Golf Club, Honeydew, on 12 June.

South African Tennis team, captained by the Randburg SAPS Station Commander Colonel Andries Odendaal, triumphed at this year’s South African Regional Police Chief Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO) tournament. The team won gold medals from all tennis categories at the competition held in Mbabane in Swaziland.

Olivedale Tennis Club hosted their annual championship finals on 27 June ending the tournament that started in mid-May. Philip Lawson and Anil Mooljee triumphed after beating Brandon Mitchell and Klaus Vogel 6–3; 6–2 during the men’s double finals. Esther Martyne and Louisa Lubbe won the women’s double finals.

About 2 000 runners participated in the 19th annual Northgate Road Race on 28 June at the Northgate Shopping Centre. The first 1 900 runners of the 10km race received medals with the first 400 of the 5km getting the same.

South African Rugby Legends partnered with the Springbok Supporters Club (SSC) and their sponsors to participate on the annual exclusive golf day at Randpark Golf Club on 23 July. SSC works with the South African Rugby Union (SARU), to help bring thousands of supporters closer to the Springbok players through unique experiences and events.

Ryan Gibbons (21) from Randpark Ridge claimed victory in the Powerade Lost City Cycle Classic presented by Bestmed, in Pilanesberg on 15 August. The Europcar SA rider stayed in the breaks throughout the 115km race and dug deep to take the bunch sprint to the finish at Sun City.

The Circa Diggers Rugby Club won the Senior Grand Challenge, at their home ground in Malanshof on 23 September. They beat the Harlequins 44 – 5 in the final.

Oasis Haven hosted the Education Cup at the Randburg Sports Complex, Malanshof, on 3 October. The event was a fundraising endeavour to raise school fees for the orphans in the care of Oasis Haven.

Randburg Bowls Club excelled over defending champions, Honeydew Bowling Club by a landslide at the Randburg Bowls Club in Boskruin on 24 October. The Honeydew Challenge saw Randburg use their home ground advantage to the best of their abilities against Honeydew, beating them 33.5 – 11.5.

The Barnswallows Swift Academy hosted their annual Charity Golf Day at Eagle Canyon Golf Club on 29 October. The Swift Academy rehabilitates abused and abandoned children and helps find them safe, permanent homes.

The KJD Taekwondo Championship was held at the KJD Taekwondo Academy in Malanshof on 31 October. The Eagles Club from Vanderbijlpark and the KJD Randburg Clubs contended for the top prizes.

The men and women South African national hockey teams walked away as champions of the Greenfields African Hockey Championship at the Randburg Sports Complex, Malanshof, on 1 November. The women’s team beat Ghana in the final 3–0, while the men’s team beat Egypt 4–2.

Young swimmers demonstrated their swimming savvy at the Linrand Swimming Club for the 27th Lindrand Mini’Lympics Gala on 1 November. The aptly named ‘Mini’s’ has attracted thousands of little swimmers through the years from all across Gauteng and has fast gained momentum.