All the action of 2016

January 14

• Dusi training starts: Springs-based Tommy Booth partnered with Jarryd Breeds and finished in the top three of the 18km Dusi training race at Homestead Dam, Benoni. The duo wasted no time kicking off their training for the new year.

January 21

• Teen returns victorious: Fernando Booysen (14) returned home from Germany just before Christmas with three out of four wrestling wins. He is the current South African President’s Greco Roman Champion, the South African President’s Champion, the South African Greco Roman and the South African Youth Champion.

February 4

• Jukskei C-team excel: The Springs Jukskei Club hosted a successful training camp and league game where the C-team beat Spantou with a total of 9.5-5.5.

February 11

• 47th Garbie Springs Striders road race: A total of 710 runners completed the 15km 47th Garbie Springs Striders road race and 720 runners competed the 32km race. The Garbie race is the oldest 32km race in South Africa.

February 18

• Jennifer’s 25th Midmar Mile: Jennifer Roper, of Blackfin Swimming Club, received an award for completing her 25th Midmar Mile, at the Midmar Dam north of Pietermaritzburg. Jennifer competed in the women’s 30 and over category and completed the race in 32 minutes.

February 25

• JP fights for title: Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) announced on February 17 that JP ‘Tinkerbell’ Kruger (29) is set to face Poland’s Rafal ‘Polish Tank’ Haratyk (28) in the EFC 49 hexagon to battle it out for the world EFC middleweight title.

March 3

• Disabled karatika off to nationals: Mandi Botha (13) and Laetitia Venter (32), of the JKS Karate Academy, in Springs, competed in the Gauteng Karate Federation Championships on February 20 and were selected to compete in the Karate South Africa National Championships, in Durban, on March 18 and 19.

March 10

• Second win in the cage for Stefan: Stefan Pretorius won his second welterweight mixed arts fight during his third professional EFC fight.

March 24

• John off to PE: John Molupi (28) is very excited to fly to Port Elizabeth to compete in the inter-district men’s bowls B-side.

March 31

• Gary Dickson final: The annual Gary Dickson Memorial Doubles Tournament was played at Selection Park Tennis Club and saw Ernst de Wet and Sias Reynecke winning the men’s doubles.

July 7

• Community tees off for Ireland tour: Pollak Park Golf Club hosted a fundraising golf day for Springs Boys’ High School’s rugby tour, heading to Ireland in October.

July 14

• Eastern Team’s week in Limpopo a success: Two Springs Old Boys Cricket Club players were included in the u-15 Eastern Gauteng Cricket Club who won all their games in a four-game tournament held in Limpopo.

July 21

• Thunder strikes down Robo at EFC 51: Local extreme fighting championship (EFC) mixed martial arts fighter Pietie ‘Thunder’ Coxen (33) beat his opponent, Ambamba ‘Robo’ Matala, with a split decision at Carnival City, on July 15.

July 28

• An Olympic dream come true: South Africa’s top women’s long jumper, Lynique Prinsloo (25), joined the athletics team for the Rio 2016 Olympics, in Brazil, from August 5 to 21.

August 4

• Local rugby teams come out tops: The Springs Rugby Club u-21 team played in the Valke Peregrine League game against Vereeniging and won 43-15 on home ground.

August 11

• Catherine receives her Shihan-Da title: Catherine Venter (47), of New State Area, received her fifth dan in Tenkinshan Karate during a week of intensive Gashuku training with Japan’s 10th dan world Tenshikan master chief instructor, Kancho Mamoru Miwa, held in Benoni.

August 18

• Fun on the bowling greens: A group of 80 ex-Springs Old Boys Club members gathered at the bowling club for a fun day of bowling to raise funds for the club.

August 25

• Girls’ High cycle fun: Another successful Springs Girls’ High School annual mountain bike race, which drew more cyclists than 2015.

September 1

• Practice will make perfect: Johannes Geldenhuys is proud of his junior golfers who have learned the skills necessary to become pro golfers.

• Good 10km cycle win for Heinrich: Heinrich Kamffer (22) won the annual 10km Transvaal Galvanised MTB Cycle Race, at Van Dyk Dam, in Brakpan.

September 8

• Young players make Springsites proud: The Springs u-13 rugby players did their town proud with a 15-10 win over Suikerbosrand, at the Springs Rugby Club. Springs’ second team played against Elsburg and won 46-0.

September 15

• Another master’s win for John Molupi: John Molupi (29), a bowler from Springs Town Rugby Club, is the new Ekurhuleni Bowls Open Masters Singles 2016 champion.

September 22

• Springs boxing duo shines in Durban: Springs sisters, Minnet (13) and Geanne Dicks (14), of Bert Collins Boxing Club, both recently crushed their opponents at the KwaZulu-Natal Inter-Provincial Boxing Tournament, by defeating them 3-0 on points, by judge’s decision.

September 29

• Striders host fun fundraising race: Runners and walkers from the East Rand showed up for the 4.7km Springs Striders Athletic Club’s annual Garbie Relay Race.