A sporting weekend to remember

Sport has been known as an instrument that unites people; just think about the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

These are all major sporting events that had not only South Africans, but the whole world perched on the edge of their seats, glued to their television screens. The weekend of June 3 to 5 saw another epic sport event closer to home when the Ruimsig Stadium played host to the 2022 Arnold Classic Africa (ACA) Sport Festival.

To ensure all Covid-19 protocols were adhered to, the multi-sport and arts extravaganza was held outdoors, with a variety of tents hosting different sport, art and culture activities. Some of the events could also be viewed from stands overlooking the athletics track inside the stadium.

While bodybuilding and power sports are at the heart of the festival given Arnold Schwarzenegger’s passion and lifetime commitment to weightlifting, the festival also showcased more than 55 other sporting codes, which included aerial sports, arm wrestling, martial arts, basketball, beach volleyball, special Olympics, CrossFit, drum majorettes and pom poms, and body painting (known as living canvasses), to name a few.

Visitors to the ACA were not only spoilt for choice with all the different sporting codes on display, they were also thoroughly entertained by the various other activities throughout the weekend, which included Zumba demonstrations, BounceBlade by Kangoo jumps demonstrations, fitness challenges, rebounding demonstrations and much more.

Another fun addition to the festival was the ‘come and try programme’, which encouraged visitors to participate in their favourite sport, whether physical or the more mentally challenging sports such as chess, Speedcube and Lego.

The various exhibitors, food stalls and other live entertainment ensured there was something for everyone to enjoy.

The Laerskool Randfontein Extreme dancers and the RAM PomPoms excelled in the open dance competition.

RAM Extreme achieved a first place and the RAM Pom-Poms finished in third. Both groups qualified for the provincial championships to be held in Eldoraigne on Saturday June 25.

Die RAM Extreme dancers will also feature in the national competition in Bloemfontein on July 13

The participants who proudly displayed their medals and other accolades knew their hard work, blood, sweat and tears were not in vain; and those who did not receive a medal will carry the experience and memories with them forever.