Gom september '14 issue 09

ISSUE 09, SEPTEMBER 2014

The ultimate online Sports Magazine!

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

HASHIM AMLA

SIFISO NHLAPO

SOUTH AFRICA’S BMX “PRINCE OF FRESH AIR”

Blitzboks win Gold at Commonwealth Games LE CLOS AND VAN DER BURGH WERE NOT THE ONLY SWIMMING STARS IN GLASGOW

GAME ON TEAM Founders; Dave White | Michael Janse van Rensburg QUARTERBACK (Creative Director) Michael Janse van Rensburg | michael@camouflage.co.za REFEREE (Sales Director) Dave White | white.dave78@gmail.com COACH (Editor) Wilhelm de Swardtt | wilhelm@camouflage.co.za GAMEBREAKER (News Editor) Kobus Pretorius | kobus@camouflage.co.za PLAYMAKER (Art & Creative Senior Designer) Raymond Q Nkomo | ray@camouflage.co.za HAWK EYE (Chief Photographer) Reg Caldecott | regpics101@gmail.com Eye In The Sky (Chief Photographer) Dr Henry Kelbrick | medsport@mweb.co.za X’s & O’s (Production Manager) Cherice Liebenberg | cherice@camouflage.co.za BEAN COUNTER (Financial & Office Administrator) Erika Kruger | admin@camouflage.co.za PUBLISHER CAMOUFLAGE VISUAL SOLUTIONS (PTY) LTD APP AVAILABLE ON iTunes | Android Market HEAD OFFICE 180 Blackwood Road, Clubview, Centurion Gauteng | South Africa Tel | +27 87 980 2266 Fax | +27 86 532 7880 Web | gameonmagazine.co.za

contents Image Gallery EYE OF THE LENS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER Monster Energy | Henry Kelbrick

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Cover Feature MAIN STORY sifiso nhlapo South Africa’s “Prince of Fresh Air” loves expressing himself on his BMX If you are a sports fan who enjoys watching fast, actionpacked races, BMX racing is the sport for you.

Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos by Herman Verwey, Jerry Landrum

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FOCUS: Commonwealth Games RUGBY blitzboks Blitzboks win Gold at Commonwealth Games

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After winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, the Blitzboks are well on their way to duplicate this feat at the 2016 Olympic Games.

© Camouflage Visual Solutions (Pty) Ltd and Game On

SA swimming fans are used to seeing familiar faces atop podiums around the world… But…

Words by Kobus Pretorius | Photos by Backpage Media

Swimming Le Clos and Van der Burgh are not the only swimming stars in Glasgow

Words by Karien Jonckheere | Photos by Reg Caldecott and Herman Verwey

BENCH (CONTRIBUTORS) Karien Jonckheere Journalist PHILNA VAN VEIJEREN Journalist (Junior) Bernard van Tonder Photographer

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Athletics SA Athletics Team gave sterling performance in Glasgow With their tally of nine medals, another eight athletes in action in finals and two South African records…

Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos by Reg Caldecott

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Netball

GALLO IMAGES | SASPA

SA Netball Team Kotze still positive in spite of SA netball’s team 5th place finish

SMUGSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHY

…There was much disappointment when the South African netball team was once again relegated to sixth place at the Commonwealth Games

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BACK PAGE MEDIA

Words by Karien Jonckheere | Photos by Reg Caldecott

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SA Commonwealth Heroes

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EDITORIAL 05 Talking Point with Kobus Pretorius

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Issue 09, September 2014

Sporting Features Rugby Cobus Reinach Trying to be his best Reinach wants a chance to fight for a place in the World Cup Squad Words by Kobus Pretorius | Photos by Christiaan Kotze (Saspa)

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Jaco Coetzee Big, strong and fast: Coetzee is the new generation SA Schools eighth man Jaco Coetzee is part of the next generation of South African loose forwards to watch going forward Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos Provided

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CRICKET Hashim Amla Q&A There haven’t really been any personal changes.

I haven’t tried to change too much.

Words by Kobus Pretorius | Photos Provided

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Cycling

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MTN-Qhubeka Africa’s top cyclists set to make history at Vuelta a Espana After winning a bronze medal in the Under-23 Road World Championships, Louis Meintjes is considered by many to be the next real deal in South African cycling.

Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos Provided

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Mountain Biking saffron vosloo Game On Rivalries in sport are exciting…

Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos by Lee Ann Cantrell

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Figure skating Lejeanne Marais and Vicky Sailer Cooler than ice In South Africa, figure skating isn’t a highly publicised sport – yet.

Words by Philna van Veijeren | Photos by Bernard van Tonder

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rowing nadine smith and lee-ann pearce driven by pure passion

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What does not kill you makes you stronger…

Words by Wilhelm de Swardt | Photos Provided

56 Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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EDITORIAL Not surprisingly, and with good reason, our main focus in this edition is on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. For South Africa the Games was a mini dressrehearsal to see whether the preparation of our athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio is still on track.

At first glance everything seems to be in order. South Africa has won 40 medals (13 gold, 10 silver and 17 bronze) which is an improvement of seven medals on their performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India.

SA swimming supporters are used to seeing familiar faces on podiums around the world, with Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh once again taking sole responsibility for the gold medal haul at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

But there is a spark of hope that a few more names might be added to the honours list in the not too distant future. The US-based swimmer, Sebastien Rousseau, has shown in Glasgow that he also has the ability to win medals with his two individual bronzes, as well as two relay medals.

South Africa finished fourth on the swimming medal table, behind Australia, England and Canada. Their total of 12 medals consisted of 3 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze. It was well down on their haul of 16 at Delhi four years ago (7 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze), but if the medals that were won by the now-retired Natalie du Toit are taken into account the tallies are very similar. Du Toit claimed three of those gold medals in the disabled events.

Le Clos and co will certainly use the next four years to improve and diversify. Despite lamentation by some people about the lack of promising results in the pool by the SA women during the past few years, national coach Graham Hill was unperturbed. He maintains that everything is on track for Rio 2016.

The full article on South Africa’s swimming performance can be read on page 24.

SA athletes perform well at Commonwealth Games South Africa’s athletes were equally impressive at the Games. Winning nine medals, with another eight athletes in action in finals, as well as two South African records, can certainly not be described as a too shabby performance. This is especially true considering that there were only 20 South African athletes in action at the Games. But it would nevertheless be foolish to say that everything is honky dory in South African athletics. Read the article on page 28.

From a South African perspective a definite highlight at the Games was the ‘golden’ performance by the Blitzboks when they won the gold medal in the Sevens Rugby Tournament. Being able to beat the All Blacks in the final was certainly a confidence booster.

Hopefully this is just the beginning of great things to come. Sevens rugby will certainly be taken more seriously in future. Players who have spent their entire careers in the 15man code are even setting plans in motion to abandon the code, albeit temporarily, to fight for a place in the sevens side that will compete for gold in 2016. Read the article on page 20.

It was at the Vuelta a Espana that Robert Hunter proved for the first time that South African cyclists are good enough to compete against the world’s best when he won the first stage of the tour’s 1999 edition.

Now, nearly 15 years after Hunter’s initial success, South African cyclists are poised to again make history. In what is certainly a first, the MTN-Qhubeka team, powered

by Samsung, has been invited to compete in the Vuelta. We spoke to Doug Ryder, principal of the MTNQhubeka team, about the upcoming tour and his expectations for his team. Read article on page 48.

We also quizzed Hashim Amla on his successful debut as captain of the Proteas in Sri Lanka.

Another interesting article to read is the feature on Jaco Coetzee, the SA Schools rugby captain.

He is a big fan of and great admirer of the Springbok and Bulls eighth man Pierre Spies and he also admires the current Springbok, Duane Vermeulen.

“Pierre Spies is number one on my list. Even though he’s injured he remains my role model. Duane Vermeulen has really made an upward step and I have great admiration for him, as well as for the Bulls loose forward Arno Botha.”

Coetzee likes the physical aspects of playing at number 8 but being quite quick on his feet he likes to play an open game. “I don’t like it when the game becomes too tight, because then I don’t have enough space to run around opponents and into gaps. I don’t like running over players because anyone can do that. Not everyone can beat an opponent with their feet.” Read article on page 44.

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Fan’TASTIC attitude

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: RUGBY

by Henry Kelbrick

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

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Fan’TASTIC attitude

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: RUGBY

by Henry Kelbrick

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Just another Day On The Rugby Field

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: RUGBY

by Henry Kelbrick

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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RIDERS ON THE STORM

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SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: MONSTER ENERGY

by Monster Energy

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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BRING THE ACTION

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: MONSTER ENERGY

by Monster Energy

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

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ARE YOU READY?

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

SPLASH IMAGE GALLERY: MONSTER ENERGY

by Monster Energy

IN THE E Y ES O F TH E B EH O L D E R

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Talking Point with Kobus Pretorius

Springboks must win against the All Blacks Editorial

Kobus Pretorius

The Springboks must take the next step in their evolution as a team by beating the All Blacks in this year’s Rugby Championship.

It’s been three year’s since the Springboks have managed to beat New Zealand on a rugby field. It is the one thing, apart from winning the Rugby Championship itself, that coach Heyneke Meyer will want to tick off his list before next year’s World Cup. Both teams’s enjoyed great success in 2013. The All Blacks finished the year undefeated, while the Springboks only lost twice - both times against the Men in Black.

Meyer has done a fine job since taking over from Peter de Villiers in 2012. Granted, his first year was a bit rocky at times as he made a few mistakes, but that was to be expected. The important thing is that Meyer has learned from those mistakes and rectified most of them in 2013. Under Meyer the Springboks have enjoyed a steady rise as a team. They have ground out some ugly wins not only last year, but in the Incoming Test Series earlier this year as well. Victories that two years ago would have been losses.

What will bother Meyer is that the Boks haven’t really come close in the last two seasons in beating the All Blacks, despite that brilliant test match in October last year when South Africa lost a scintillating test at Ellis Park 27-38. There are other games that spring to mind. For example the Auckland 2013 test when the Boks had a real chance to end their drought but ended up losing 15-29.

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

This year will see Meyer and his charges have another crack at the World Champions, the first opportunity presenting itself on 13 September in Wellington and then again on 4 October in Johannesburg.

Although New Zealand is currently enjoying a ridiculous amount of success, they are not unbeatable. It used to be true that a season would go by with only the Springboks managing to supply the Kiwi’s with that awful, losing feeling.

Not anymore. It’s been awhile. Meyer’s predecessors in recent years have all managed to taste victory against the All Blacks. Peter de Villiers took it even further when his Boks beat New Zealand 30-28 in Dunedin in 2008.

Beating the All Blacks remains the greatest test and achievement for any team.

Without it, there will always be doubts.

In order for Meyer to dispel those fears he needs to do one better than last year and get one over the World Champs in this year’s tournament. It will ensure the team continues to grow, not only in confidence but also in stature. After Australia ended the All Blacks’ run of 17 consecutive victories by drawing 12-12 in the first game of the tournament, the ball is in South Africa’s court to pounce on that advantage. If the Springboks can beat New Zealand they can beat Australia and if that happens there is no reason why they can’t go on to win the competition.

Beating the All Blacks remains the greatest test and achievement for any team.

Jake White did it in his first season and De Villiers in his second. Seeing as results are usually seen as less important in a World Cup year where the main focus is to make sure your best players stay fresh and injury free, Meyer has the perfect opportunity this time around to prove to everyone, including himself, that this team can beat the best.

Even if it doesn’t help them win the Rugby Championship now, it will undoubtedly have a good long-term effect on the team going forward.

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Blitzboks Blitzboks win Gold at Commonwealth Games

blitzboks

Blitzboks win Gold at Commonwealth Games Words by Kobus Pretorius , Photos by Backpage Media

seabelo senatla

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ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: Sevens rugby

justin geduld After winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, the Blitzboks are well on their way to duplicate this feat at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Ever since it was announced in 2009 that rugby, and more specifically sevens, would return to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the sport has changed. It’s certainly taken a lot more seriously now and millions of rands would have been spend by the South African Rugby Union (Saru) since then to make sure the national sevens is well equipped to compete for gold when the time comes in almost two years’ time.

Players who have spent their entire career in the 15-man code are even setting plans in motion to abandon that, albeit temporarily, to fight for a place in the sevens side who wil compete for gold in 2016. Winning that gold medal has become the biggest goal for many a player in their career, and even coaches are now under pressure to make sure results keep coming so they can survive in the job long enough to go for gold.

For Paul Treu, former coach of the Blitzboks, that dream ended last year when he was replaced by Neil Powell.

Treu’s plan was to coach the Blitzboks through to the Olympics in 2016 and then switch to further his promising career in the 15-man code. Unfortunately for him, Saru felt change was needed and now Treu has to reach his dream by coaching the national sevens team of Kenya.

So far, the decision to replace Treu has looked a good one. Under Powell the Blitzboks finished second in the IRB World Sevens Series behind New Zealand, but they played in five consecutive finals including winning the one on home soil against the Kiwi’s in Port Elizabeth.

The Commonwealth Games is usually seen as a stepping stone to the Olympics, so winning the gold medal after defeating New Zealand in the final in Glasgow, Scotland would have instilled a believe in the Blitzboks team that they can repeat the feat in two years’ time.

One of the stars of the team who has emerged over the last year is winger Seabelo Senatla. Senatla currently juggles both 15-man rugby and sevens after making his debut for the Stormers in Superrugby earlier this year before representing Western Province in the Currie Cup.

Senatla hails from Welkom in the Free State where he also grew up attending Riebeeckstad High.

“I was really active at school, playing more soccer than rugby and also taking part in athletics,” says Senatla.

He played rugby in high school, starting out as a scrum half because of his small frame and later played every position in the backline except fly half. Senatla eventually settled at wing and enjoyed making the switch.

After school he joined the Griffons’ Harmony Rugby academy for 12 months where he decided to make a career out of the sport. Senatla’s first taste of sevens rugby came when he played in a sevens tournament at the academy in 2011.

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Blitzboks Blitzboks win Gold at Commonwealth Games

“My break came in 2012 when Paul Treu saw me training at the Cheetahs. I never saw playing sevens as a second prize; I saw it as a platform to play 15-man rugby.

Playing sevens has improved me so much as a player, expanding my skills and improving my fitness. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for sevens.”

Senatla is currently playing for Western Province in the currie Cup, but is also a part of the Blitzboks team. “It’s fairly difficult to switch between the two codes,” he says.

“It’s very challenging, but I love the challenge.”

Winning gold at the Commonwealth Games now ranks as the biggest highlight of Senatla’s short career, especially after scoring two tries in the final.

neil powell

“It was a brilliant experience. There were a lot of pressure that came with it, but we didn’t put any pressure on ourselves.

We also knew it was going to be tough to beat New Zealand in the final, but that makes it’s even more special. Our plan was to play our heart out for the Springbok badge and leave everything out there on the field.

“The final was very tough because we had played five games before that was physically draining. Physically it was a very tough game. We tried to keep our composure and we never had any doubt that we could do it. It’s all about desire,” says Senatla.

Composure has been the biggest lesson sevens has taught him, says Senatla. “Staying relaxed and handling the pressure. That is what’s it’s all about because a sevens game can change very quickly. Winning the gold medal was important to us. It builds momentum and sets a high standard. It definitely gave our confidence a boost.”

Senatla says he has learned a lot from team mate Cecil Afrika, but according to him the game plan of the team hasn’t changed much since Powell has taken over.

“Coach Neil is more relaxed and that helps create a chilled and happy environment. All of us learned a lot from coach Treu and the job he did was fantastic. The coach has taught me to express myself on the field the way I know best.

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ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: sevens rugby

ROAD TO THE FINAL: Group stages South Africa 36, Trinidad and Tobago 0; South Africa 50, Cook Islands 0; South Africa 20, Kenya 0;

Quarter-final South Africa 35, Scotland 12

Semi-final South Africa 35, Samoa 7

Final South Africa 17, New Zealand 12

kyle brown Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Karien Jonckheere Le Clos and Van der Burgh are not the only swimming stars in Glasgow

commonwealth games

Le Clos and Van der Burgh are swimming stars in Glasgow Words by Karien Jonckheere, Photos by Reg Caldecott and Herman Verwey

SA swimming fans are used to seeing familiar faces atop podiums around the world – with Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh once again taking sole responsibility for the gold medal haul at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

But there is a spark of excitement among the team, that there may be a few more names added to that honours list in the not too distant future, with the likes of US-based Sebastien Rousseau showing he’s also in the mix for medals with two individual bronzes as well as two relay medals from Glasgow.

And Le Clos himself has even suggested that he and his up-and-coming teammates will be aiming at 4x200 m freestyle relay glory at the World Short Course Championships at the end of the year.

South Africa finished fourth on the medal table in Glasgow behind Australia, England and Canada with a total of 12 medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze). It was well down on their haul of 16 from Delhi four years ago (7 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze) but considering the now-retired Natalie du Toit claimed three of those gold medals (in the disabled events), the tallies were pretty similar. Le Clos and company are hoping that will improve and diversify four years from now, however.

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“A lot of youngsters that have joined the team are really excited and they know what they’ve got to do to get where they want to be so it’s really good,” reckoned Le Clos, who despite not being in the best shape managed a haul of seven medals in Glasgow. In fact he and Van der Burgh contributed towards nine of South Africa’s 12 medals. The only other individual medals came from Rousseau and the ever-green Roland Schoeman, who claimed silver in the 50 m butterfly at his fifth Commonwealth Games.

“It was so much better than in previous years. I’ve been in the team since 2009 and the team wasn’t as happy or friendly or unified back then. Everyone’s just stepping up and doing well so it’s positive for the future to have not only me and Cameron winning medals,” said Le Clos. Speaking about his own performance at the Games, the Olympic champion reckoned: “I was very happy with what happened, considering what had happened in the build up. I was really sick two months ago and had an ankle injury earlier this year.

I’m weighing 80kg now. I’ve lost so much weight – I was 85 before I left for Europe.

I’ve lost five kg in two months and that’s too much to lose.

“I’ve lost muscle – look at my legs, they’re skinny little things. I’m not in the shape I should be in, so I’m not sure what happened at Commonwealths – maybe I was a bit lucky. I was swimming off I don’t want to say experience but the training I did before Commonwealths wasn’t great.”

It certainly makes you wonder exactly what he could have achieved had he been in the same kind of shape he was in ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

As for Sebastien Rousseau, he was thrilled with a positive stepping stone towards Rio 2016.

“Commonwealths was really important.

For me it was the first time I’ve been on the podium at a big international meet so there are a lot of positives going forward,” said the University of Florida student.

“I’m really happy but I definitely think I could have got a gold in the 400m. It was a good race but I should have swum it a little differently. I was really happy to be on the podium though and I’m just going to have to learn from that and hopefully do better.”

As for sharing the podium with Le Clos in the 200m butterfly, Rousseau added: “It was awesome – it was amazing. Chad told me before that he was going to pull me up onto the top of the podium so it was just so special to be up there with him.”

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: swimming

not the only

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Karien Jonckheere Le Clos and Van der Burgh are not the only swimming stars in Glasgow

dalyn bosch SIDE BAR Medals: Gold Chad le Clos (100, 200 m butterfly) Cameron van der Burgh (50 m breaststroke)

Silver Cameron van der Burgh (100 m breaststroke) Roland Schoeman (50 m butterfly) Men’s 4x100 m freestyle relay team (Le Clos, Schoeman, Leith Shankland, Caydon Muller)

Bronze Chad le Clos (50 m butterfly, 200 m individual medley) Sebastien Rousseau (200 m butterfly, 400 m individual medley) Men’s 4 x 200 m freestyle relay team (Myles Brown, Le Clos, Rousseau, Dylan Bosch)

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Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

Men’s 4 x 100m medley relay team (Rousseau, Van der Burgh, Le Clos, Leith Shankland)

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: swimming

SIDE BAR: What is wrong with SA women’s swimming?

While SA’s men’s swimmers were ensuring the Glasgow crowd heard a regular rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, it was all rather silent on the women’s side.

Much was expected from SA’s top female swimmer Karin Prinsloo after her SA record-breaking performances earlier in the year, but unfortunately the Pretoria swimmer was struck with very bad flu just days before the start of the Games and as a result, could not perform to her potential. While others may be lamenting the lack of promising results among the SA women in the pool over the last few years, national coach Graham Hill was unperturbed, maintaining that all is on track for Rio 2016.

“I don’t think we must look at it like that. We took young girls with us to Commonwealths – Erin Gallagher and Marlies Ross and if you look at their performances, they swam really well so I think for the future, the young girls are on the right path,” said Hill.

“Karin [Prinsloo] unfortunately was really sick so I think you can’t really judge Karin on her performance because of that. I think if she had been able to stand up and do what she wanted to do there wouldn’t be a question of what went wrong with our women but we have to wait and see now. I think we’re in a good place with our young girls though and they’re coming through very fast.”

Erin just turned 15 and she swam a 55 in the 100 m freestyle – that’s very fast. In world swimming that’s very fast so when you’re getting that kind of result, you have to wait and see in the next 18 months if we can push her through and I’m hoping that by Olympic trials she can swim a 53.

“We just have to wait and see. And the same with Marlies – she’s only 16 and swam very well so I think those are the two we need to keep an eye on along with Karin and I still think one or two of our older swimmers can bounce back and give us something to shout about in Rio.” Le Clos also added his voice in support of the women’s team, particularly Prinsloo. “Karin was really sick. I am almost certain she would have won medals – she’s a really fantastic talent. Credit to her in the last 18 months she’s really stepped it up since Olympics and I think next year she’s really going to be knocking on the door for medals again and even in Rio she’s going to be there definitely,” he said.

karin prinsloo

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SA Athletes gave sterling performance in Glasgow

SA Athletes

SA Athletes gave sterling performance in Glasgow Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos by Reg Caldecott

With their tally of nine medals, another eight athletes in action in finals and two South African records, the South African track and field athletes certainly have reason to be proud of their performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. This is especially true considering that there were only 20 South African track and field athletes in action at the Games,.

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Team SPORTING PROFILE: Athletics

With a little bit of luck on their side, the South Africans could easily have won two or three more medals.

together in a relay-team (4x100 or 4x400) can suddenly become medal contenders.

Victor Hogan’s throw of 64.16 m in the discus qualification round was the second best of the whole competition. Unfortunately, he was either overeager during the final or his nerves got the better of him, because he ended up finishing 10th with a dismal best throw of 56.42 m.

The South African 4x100 relay team narrowly missed out on winning the bronze medal, but their speedy heroics did not go unrewarded.

With their 4th place time of 38.35s they bettered the SA record (38.47s) that was set in 2001 in Edmonton, Canada.

Johan Cronje, South Africa’s only medallist at last year’s World Championships in Moscow, missed the bronze medal by merely centimetres. Unfortunately Wenda Nel, who was also in contention to medal in the 400-hurdles final, stepped out of her lane during the last 120 metres. She slowed down immediately when she realized what had happened and was disqualified.

The less said about the selection policy for female athletes the better.

It was plain foolish to send only Nel and Sunette Viljoen to the Games.

If Sascoc (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) were to issue report cards to the different sporting codes that were in action in Glasgow, the track and field athletes would surely have received an A symbol.

The important question that remains unanswered is why the South African decision makers decided not to enter a team for the 4x400-relay. South Africa won silver medals at both the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the World Championships in Daegu.

LJ van Zyl was a member of both those teams. With Wayde van Niekerk (silver in the 400 m) and Cornel Fredericks (gold in the 400-hurdles) both currently in awesome form, it would have been realistic to expect them to be in with a medal chance, especially teaming up with André Olivier (bronze in the 800 m) and Van Zyl. It is surprising that those who call the shots in South African athletics still find it hard to realize that the medals on offer in the relays are as coveted as, for example, those in the 100 m, 800 m or javelin events.

The Commonwealth Games were the ideal opportunity for athletes such as Carina Horn (100 m), Rikenette Steenkamp (100-hurdles), Sonja van der Merwe (200 m), Justine Palframan (200 m and 400 m) and one or two other youngsters to experience what the Games are all about. Not only would it have served as extra motivation for them, but the experience would also have helped them not to be overwhelmed at the 2016 Games in Rio if they should be selected to represent South Africa.

Judging by the results in the heats at the Games, Steenkamp would, on current form, have had a realistic chance to qualify for the 100-hurdles final, and so would Horn in the 100 m.

Side Bar Medal winners Gold: Cornel Fredericks (400-hurdles – 48.50s); Khotso Mokoena (triple jump – 17.20 m) Fanie van der Merwe (100 m/T37).

Silver: Wayde van Niekerk (400 m – 44.88s) Zarck Visser (Long jump – 8.12 m) Sunette Viljoen (Javelin – 63.19 m) Charl du Toit (100/T37).

Bronze: André Olivier (800 m – 1:46:03); Ruswahl Samaai (Long jump – 8.08 m).

Other finalists: Akani Simbini (200 m) Johan Cronjé (1 500 m) Orazio Cremona (Shot put) Rocco van Rooyen (Javelin) Fredriech Pretorius (Decathlon) Wenda Nel (400-hurdles) SA 4x100-relay Victor Hogan (discuss).

South African records: Fredriech Pretorius (Jnr SA-record in decathlon - 7639 points) SA 4x100-relay (38.35s).

Unfortunately Sascoc’s leadership, with Gideon Sam at the helm, is not renowned for their long-term planning. Watch this space. Come January 2016 the ‘wise men of SA sports’ will realize for the first time that women’s sports in South Africa, not only athletics, are in a dire crisis.

Then, for the first time, questions will be asked but no answers will be forthcoming. The Games will go down as just another missed opportunity for women’s sports.

The current Sascoc policy of taking only international rankings into account when teams are being selected, is extremely short-sighted.

It boils down to the classic question of which came first, the egg or the chicken.

To be selected, athletes are expected to perform at a certain level, but how can they improve without opportunities to compete against the best?

Although South Africa’s sprinters are at best mediocre, four of them put

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SA netball’s team Kotze still positive in spite of 5th place finish

SA Netball’s Team Having gone to Glasgow confident of having a realistic shot at a medal, there was much disappointment when the South African netball team was once again relegated to sixth place at the Commonwealth Games. It’s an all-too-familiar spot for the SA team, who lost out to Malawi in the fifth place play-off.

Despite the final result, which looks horribly similar to that of 2010, the South Africans were in fact a far improved side on the one that travelled to Delhi and Melbourne.

They easily defeated Trinidad and Tobago (56-40) and Barbados (57-36) before taking on England and staying neck and neck with them until the third quarter when they edged ahead to eventually claim a 41-35 win. Had they just managed to hold them out, the SA side would have all but booked themselves a coveted semi-final spot, but instead faced the tall task of beating eventual champions Australia if they were to progress. The South Africans eventually went down 64-40, sending them into the play-off for fifth place which they lost 53-45 to Malawi.

Nevertheless, coach Elize Kotze remains positive about her team’s chances at next year’s World Championships in Australia.

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Kotze still positive DEspite of SA teamS 5th place finish Words by Karien Jonckheere, Photos by Reg Caldecott

“We were playing the best netball teams in the world, and we believed we could challenge for a medal,” she said.

“I still believe we can do it at the World Championships next year. We have beaten England and Jamaica in the past, and I am very positive we can do it again.

We will have to plan very carefully between now and the World Championships and make sure that we have the right players, the right mental attitude and the physicality to compete with the top teams.”

Meanwhile, on the hockey field there was a similarly heartbreaking scenario playing out with the SA women’s team falling just short of the podium. They claimed a massive 16-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago first up and beat Canada 2-0 before just losing out 2-1 to New Zealand in their third group game.

They held their nerve in their final group game, however, to claim a 3-2 win over India and book their spot in the semifinals. There they faced the toughest of opposition in the form of Australia who beat them 7-1, meaning the SA side went in the playoff for third spot. But, just like four years ago in Delhi, reaching the podium was once again not meant to be, as the South Africans were overpowered 5-2 by New Zealand who took home the bronze As for the men’s hockey side, injuries to two key players (Jonty Robinson and Andrew Cronje) proved to be their undoing.

The South Africans started off well with victories over Scotland (2-0) and then later Wales (5-1) but went down 6-0 to world champions Australia and, after a 5-2 loss to India, found themselves in the play-off for fifth position. They ensured they left Glasgow with heads held high, however, after a 7-3 drubbing of Canada to secure that fifth spot.

Team South Africa SA Commonwealth Heroes

Team South Africa

SIDEBAR: SA Commonwealth Heroes Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos Provided

Chad le Clos 1.

SWIMMING: Chad le Clos ‘walked the walk and talked the talk’ by winning seven medals (2 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze). He equalled the Commonwealth Games record (Manchester, 2002) of the legendary Australian, Ian Thorpe.

2.

ROAD CYCLING: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio won bronze. The South African and Tiffany Cromwell (Australia) were involved in a titanic battle over the last few hundred metres. At first Moolman led the charge, but during the last few decisive metres Cromwell lunged and for a split second it looked as if she had her tyre in front. But the South African fought back in the very last metre and the photo finish showed that she had prevailed by a hundredth of a second.

They were given identical times of 2 hours 39min 54sec. It was the first time ever that a women’s cyclist from South Africa was able to win a medal at a major senior championship (World, Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games).

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio

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Team SPORTING PROFILE: Athletics

3.

JUDO: The gold medal (Under-90kg) that was won by Zack Piontek certainly deserves to be mentioned, especially because judo is considered by many to be one of the lesser sports in South Africa. To be brutally honest, most avid local sport fans could not give a damn about what Piontek and the rest of the judokas do or don’t do. This is why it was so special that Piontek and his judo-teammates made the most of the opportunity to compete at a higher level.

Of the six judokas sent to Glasgow four have medalled. The other medallists are: Ruan Snyman (silver – Under-100kg); Jacques van Zyl (bronze – Under-73kg) and Siyabulela Mabulu (bronze – Under66kg). It was the first time in 12 years that judo was included in the Commonwealth Games programme.

4.

TRIATHLON: Ever since Conrad Stoltz took the lead during the cycle leg of the 2000 Olympic Games triathlon, there were expectations that a South African might medal at a major event.

Hendrik de Villiers went to the 2008 Olympic Games as one of the favourites, but he experienced some health issues and was unable to compete. At long last it was Richard Murray who proved that South-African triathletes are good enough to compete against the world’s best. He won a bronze in the individual event and helped South Africa to win silver in the triathlon team event. Murray really had his work cut out in Glasgow.

He had to compete against the current Olympic champion, Alistair Brownlee (Britain), and his brother, Jonathan, a former world champion. Murray’s teammates in the relay were Kate Roberts, Henri Schoeman and Gillian Sanders.

Zack Piontek

Conrad Stoltz

Team SA 5. LAWN BOWLS: South Africa’s bowlers have done South Africa proud at the Games. They won no less than three gold and two bronze medals.

The gold medallists were: Deon van der Vyver, Roger Hagerty and Derrick Lobban won the Para-spor Open Triples (B6/B7/B8); Esme Steyn, Santjie Steyn, Tracy-Lee Botha and Susan Nel were victorious in the women’s fours; Colleen Piketh and Tracy-Lee Botha won the pairs.

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SIFISO NHLAPO SOUTH AFRICA’s “PRINCE OF FRESH AIR”

sifiso nhlapo

South Africa’s “Prince of Fresh Air” loves expressing himself on his BMX Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos by Herman Verwey, Jerry Landrum

If you are a sports fan who enjoys watching fast, action-packed races, BMX racing is the sport for you.

A race lasts barely 35 seconds. It is a given that one or two riders will go down hard almost immediately after the race starts. Those who manage to remain upright proceed to compete in a race that is guaranteed to be fast and furious right from the start to the finish, spending much time being airborne in the process.

The sport is filled with characters who boast with self-explanatory hardcore nicknames such as ‘Kamikaze’ or ‘Rocket Man’.

In South Africa there is a good reason why ‘BMX-racing’ and the name ‘Sifiso Nhlapo’ have become almost synonymous.

Nhlapo is a multiple SA Champion, a multiple SA Grand National Champion and a multiple All-Africa Champion.

Some of Nhlapo’s most important personal highlights were winning the junior cruiser world champion title in 2005, as well as finishing third at the senior World Championships in 2008 and second in 2010.

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He was second in the 2008 European Championships and represented South Africa at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and at the 2012 Games in London.

To compete at this level requires nerves of steel. One error of judgement or a little bit of bad luck can result in an unwanted stay in hospital.

Nhlapo can vouch for the truth of this.

He has been plagued by injuries ever since the Beijing Games. He suffered a potentially career-ending setback in 2009 when he broke his neck and fractured two vertebrae in a crash while training before the last round of the European Championships. After 10 months of rehabilitation Nhlapo was back on the bike.

Another setback was when he had to undergo reconstructive surgery to his anterior cruciate ligament.

In spite of these setbacks Nhlapo is still passionate about his sport. For him nothing comes close to the adrenaline rush he experiences when racing his BMX bike.

“BMX racing is a form of freedom of expression for me. It is just you and your bike.

It is so different from a team sport where you have to conform to certain rules all the time. For example if you play forward in a football team you are told what to do and how to do it.

“In my sport you have a certain amount of freedom. It is an individual sport and whether you win or lose is up to you.

“To be competitive at the highest level in BMX-racing you have to be good at a number of things. Mental ability, endurance, strength and speed are just a few of the factors that come into play during a race.

“You must be able to make split second decisions that could mean the difference between winning or finishing third. Because a race is so short you are under pressure from the moment the start gate goes down.

One mistake and it is game over.”

MAIN SPORTING FEATURE: BMX

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SIFISO NHLAPO SOUTH / WILHELM AFRICA’s DE SWARDT “PRINCE SOUTH OF FRESH AFRICA’s AIR” “PRINCE OF FRESH AIR”

sifiso nhlapo

Sidebar: Nhlapo on diet “You can eat anything as long as it is within moderation” is Nhlapo’s golden rule when it comes to his diet. However he is not keen on eating red meat.

“I prefer to eat fish and a lot of vegetables, in other words mostly steamed food.

When cooking I use coconut oil and Himalayan salt. In the end it is the small things that make the difference.”

According to Nhlapo his diet does not include a lot of carbohydrates and when he is competing he tries to eat food that will digest quickly.

“When on tour it is important to stick to food that your body is acquainted with, because the last thing you want to do is upset your stomach.”

Nhlapo says he does not often eat desserts.

“Luckily we are not like road cyclists who have to watch every gram they eat, but I do watch my weight when I race.”

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MAIN SPORTING FEATURE: BMX

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SIFISO NHLAPO SOUTH AFRICA’s “PRINCE OF FRESH AIR”

sifiso nhlapo

Sidebar: Advice to youngsters My number one bit of advice to any young rider is to enjoy what you do and to have fun.

If you want to take BMX racing to the next level and try to become a professional, you will need a lot of discipline and passion for what you do.

“I have to admit that experience has taught me that it is not always easy to race as a professional. You often have to do things that you don’t enjoy doing, but if you persevere you will be justly rewarded.”

Nhlapo is a firm believer of spending adequate time on his bike.

“The more time you spend riding your bike, the more experience you gain. This will help you to make the right decisions at crucial times.”

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MAIN SPORTING FEATURE: BMX

Sidebar: Toni Nhlapo

talks about her husband’s exploits and BMX racing Toni admits that she gets nervous when watching her husband race. If she had a choice she would rather not do so at all.

“You have eight guys at the starting gate.

When the gate goes down it is mayhem while the riders fight for the best position.

It is not strange to see a rider using his elbows to get a rival out of the way.

“But don’t get me wrong – BMX racing is very cool. I have heard people referring to it as the ‘rebel sport’ of the Olympics.

It would seem that everybody is attracted to it because of the amazing vibe during the races. David Cameron, Britain’s prime minister, and David Beckham were some of the dignitaries who attended the racing during the 2012 London Games.

“At the recent World Championships in Amsterdam a total of 2800 riders competed.”

Toni said she met Nhlapo on the school bus. What attracted her to him was that he was somewhat shy.

“I always knew that he was racing bikes, but I never realized what it entailed until we officially started dating when I was 18.

The first time I saw him race, I was amazed at what the riders were capable of doing on these little bikes. I was especially impressed with how high they are able to jump riding their bikes. It was so cool.”

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cobus Reinach Trying to be his best

cobus reinach

Trying to be his best Reinach wants a chance to fight for a place in the Words by Kobus Pretorius, Photos by Christiaan Kotze (Saspa)

With Springbok Fourie du Preez out with an injury for the rest of the year, Sharks scrum half Cobus Reinach will hope he gets a chance to fight for a place at next year’s World Cup.

a tactical scrum half who can read the game well and who has a good kicking boot. These are all factors that Reinach will be wary of if and when he gets some game time.

At the time of writing Reinach was still an uncapped Springbok in Heyneke Meyer’s squad and not included in the match day 22 to face Argentina at Loftus in their first game of this year’s Rugby Championship.

“It’s an exciting feeling being part of the Springbok squad,” says Reinach. “If it’s your goal for the season and you achieve it, it is quite an amazing feeling. It’s great being around quality players. I was just happy to see my name on TV when the squad was announced. I didn’t feel any pressure to make the squad. There were no expectations”

Reinach had a very good season for a competitive Sharks team in the Superrugby tournament, but he will have to compete against Meyer’s preferred choice of Ruan Pienaar as well as Francois Hougaard who is fit again and in good form.

The 24 year old Reinach is bound to get some game time along the way, even though his role in the squad may be restricted to that of a substitute for now. Meyer will, however, do well to give Reinach a start in one of the Springboks’s six tests to see what he can offer at the highest level. That is, of course, if injury doesn’t force Meyer’s hand.

Reinach is definitely an exciting prospect.

There is a certain flair to the way he plays the game and his speed ensures that he is always a threat on the attack and around the fringes. Meyer has always preferred

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“I think having a good season with the Sharks did help and is probably the main reason why I was picked for the squad.

I’m very grateful for the good season the Sharks had this year.”

Reinach will have his work cut out for him in trying to jump the scrum half pecking order, and although he has a lot of respect for his competition in the position Pienaar and Hougaard and eventually also Du Preez - he is not intimidated by them.

“They are all world class players,” says Reinach. “For me, if you want to be the best you have to compete against the best. Maybe I can get there after playing with and against them.”

Reinach is the son of former Springbok winger Jaco Reinach who died when Cobus was just six year’s old. Jacobus Reinach made his Springbok debut on 10 May 1986 against the New Zealand Cavaliers in Cape Town, scoring two tries in a total of four matches for the Springboks.

His dad was also a Springbok athlete who held the SA record in the 400 m (45.01s) for 16 years.

“My dad has had the biggest influence on my career, even though he wasn’t around for most of it. With him being my inspiration and also playing for the Springboks, I always wanted to do the same and make him proud. There are a lot of role models and heroes out there, but my dad is the biggest one for me,” says Reinach.

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: rugby

World Cup Squad

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cobus Reinach Trying to be his best

cobus reinach

I have watched a lot of footage of my dad playing against the Cavaliers. There is a video called Battle of the Giants or something where my dad played in 1986. I’ve watched it quite a few times and still have the DVD now. Every moment of that footage is my favourite moment. Just seeing him run and doing his thing on the field is special.�

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ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: rugby

Reinach says it takes experience, game time and learning from a great number 9 to try and read a game as well as Fourie du Preez. “My personal opinion is you can’t lose your instinct to play. But you also have to stick to the game plan.”

With Du Preez out for the entire season, it gives players like Hougaard and Reinach a chance to stake a permanent claim in the squad. Meyer already knows what he has in Pienaar, but Reinach and, to a lesser degree Hougaard, is still untested at the highest level. There are no guarantees that Du Preez will stay injury free until the World Cup. Therefore Reinach must use this opportunity to get his foot firmly in the door and keep it there.

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Jaco Coetzee Big, strong and fast: Coetzee is the new generation

jaco coetzee

Big, strong and fast: Coetzee is the new generation Words by Kobus Pretorius, Photos Provided

He is big, strong and fast.

SA Schools eighth man Jaco Coetzee is part of the next generation of South African loose forwards to watch going forward.

Coetzee (18) was one of three captains used by SA Schools coach Hein Kriek in the annual series of matches against France, Wales and England. A warm and friendly guy, Jaco always seems to have a smile on his face. He is currently a grade 12 learner at Glenwood High in Durban and will join Western Province after school after signing a two-year contract with the union.

He was named captain for the first game on 15 August against France, a honour which made him “extremely proud”.

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“I was all smiles when I heard the news,” remembers Jaco. “I was surprised, because I’m not the captain of my schools team. I didn’t have any words, I just bowed my head and thanked the Lord for the awesome opportunity and I also thanked the coaches.”

Jaco was born in Pretoria and lived there until 2006, when he was 9, before his family moved to Durban. He started playing rugby at the age of five and attended Garsfontein Laerskool. He started as a scrum half and later moved to fly half where he stayed for two or three years before playing centre as well.

Jaco likes the physical aspects of playing at number 8, but because he is quite quick on his feet he likes to play an open game. “I don’t like it when the game becomes too tight, because then I don’t have enough space to run around opponents and into gaps. I don’t like running over players because anyone can do that. Not everyone can beat an opponent with their feet.”

He did athletics at school where he ran the 100 m and 200 m and later also did triple jump. Jaco did many sports, including swimming and water polo, but decided last year that he wanted to solely focus on his rugby.

“My dad told me he thought I should move to the forwards. I was busy growing, getting bigger and gaining up weight. So I moved to eighth man in grade 7 and have played there ever since.

I really enjoyed making the move. Centre was okay, but eighth man is much better,” says Jaco.

“When I played Cravenweek last year for the first time I realized I wanted to make rugby my career. I knew if I wanted to do that I would have to quit all the other sports I was doing to only focus on rugby.

You have to make sacrifices if you want to be the best,” says Jaco.

He is a big fan of and looks up to Springbok and Bulls eighth man Pierre Spies and also admires current Springbok Duane Vermeulen. “Pierre Spies is number one on my list. Even though he’s injured he remains my role model. Duane Vermeulen has really made the step up and I look to up to him, as well as the Bulls loose forward Arno Botha.”

He describes his Cravenweek experience in 2013 as “something else” and “unexpected”. “It was great because I played with Jean-Luc and Daniel Du Preez (the sons of former Springbok Robert du Preez) and they are very good friends of mine. They took me under their wing and I learned a lot. I used their advice to good effect in this year’s Cravenweek.”

Athlete SPORTING Feature: Rugby

jaco coetzee

The news that Jaco had made the SA Schools squad came to him in an unconventional way.

“We (Glenwood first team) were on a school bus on our way to play Affies in Pretoria when my coach got up, turned around and said it wasn’t a secret anymore: Jaco Coetzee and Morne Joubert are in the SA Schools squad. I was again all smiles. I bowed my head and thanked the Lord.”

“It was an amazing experience being part of the squad. Players from 17 different schools getting together and all of us became friends on the first day. It was unbelievable. The first day’s training was amazing. We gelled well as a team and it looked as if we’ve been playing together for years.”

The biggest lesson Jaco has learned while being part of the squad was to not go into your shell when your around new people.“Go out there and meet

new people and don’t be shy.”

Dawie Theron, coach of the South African under 20 team, is also part of the SA Schools setup where he keeps an eye on the talent that is coming through and identifying players that can possibly play for him at next year’s Junior World Champs.

“It was a honour having coach Dawie as part of the squad. He was at every practice session and he helped us a lot; he inspired us.”

Jaco is now focussed on doing well in his exams and graduating matric, before he joins Western Province next year.

“My big goal is to make the next Junior Springbok squad next year. It helps that coach Dawie is involved with the SA Schools side because now I know how he thinks and what I have to do to make that squad. I know what I have to improve on to get there.”

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HASHIM amla Question and answer

hashim amla

Q&A: with Hashim Amla Words by Kobus Pretorius, Photos Provided

What was the biggest factor in the Proteas successful tour of Sri Lanka?

We came to Sri Lanka with a great amount of hunger to succeed. The one-day and Test team has gone through a lot of changes and we have seen how the newcomers have come in and made a difference. The performances on the field speak for themselves but I think the desire and hunger to win was the biggest factor.

There was a lot of resilience; we are a South African team that is proud and passionate about representing our country. We never want to throw our wicket away and we always want to go down fighting, that’s how we played our cricket.

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Do you think playing the ODI series first and winning it played a role in the team’s success in the test series?

Yes definitely. When we landed on Sri Lankan shores for the one-day series we knew that we were up for a tough battle, especially considering our poor record on the island. The good start in the ODI’s lifted the mood in the camp and gave us the confidence ahead of the Test series.

What would you say has been the biggest change in the team since you took over as captain?

There hasn’t really been a change. This Test team has been together for a long time, we have developed a great culture and team environment, none of that needs to change.

What would you say was the turning point in the first test?

Dale’s performance with the ball gave us the edge in the 1st Test after the batsmen set the match up nicely for us with a big 1st innings total. That performance almost gave us the “favourites” tag going into the 2nd Test.

There were doubts about whether taking on the captaincy would affect your batting. Obviously it’s still early days, but how do you think you coped with that considering you scored a hundred in the first innings of the second test?

Personally and foremost, you want to contribute as a batsman in the squad.

The question mark will always be there for a new captain with regards to batting form. I think it’s still a bit early to tell.

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: CRICKET

I was glad to get a century and a few performances under the belt to settle myself as a captain in the team.

he had an impressive domestic season and I am sure if he gets his chance he will make it count.

What has been the biggest change for you personally since you’ve been captain?

What is the biggest lesson you learned as captain in Sri Lanka?

There haven’t really been any personal changes. I haven’t tried to change too much. The fast bowlers did really well in the test series.

I think personally after the first Test I was quite tired after batting for almost a day and a half. When we bowled them out on Day 2 and Day 3 I was also quite mentally drained. I think the biggest lesson is handling the different aspects of captaincy on the field. Using my energy in different ways and learning to switch off during certain passages of play; you can’t change the game every ball, sometimes you need to let the game flow.

Are you concerned about the spin options in the team seeing as apart from JP Duminy they were not very effective?

Not really. We know what a talented and game-changing bowler Imran Tahir can be. He has put in match-winning performances for us on countless time in the shorter format. It’s only a matter of time until he comes right in Tests. We also have Dane Piedt waiting in the wings,

How important was it to start you captaincy on a winning note?

I don’t think I could have dreamt of a better start. We know that playing in Sri Lanka is tough and as a captain I was extremely pleased with the way that we responded to the different situations we were faced with. It’s obviously great to start on a winning note but it’s still early days to read too much into it.

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MTN-Qhubeka Africa’s top cyclists set to make history at Vuelta a Espana

MTN-Qhubeka When the history of cycling in South African and its heroes, especially during the country’s postapartheid era, are being discussed, the Vuelta a Espana certainly deserves to be specially mentioned.

When Robert Hunter won the first stage of the Vuelta’s 1999 edition he proved for the first time that South African cyclists are good enough to compete against the world’s best. Now, nearly 15 years after Hunter’s initial success, South African cyclists are again poised to make history.

In what is certainly a first, the MTNQhubeka team, powered by Samsung, has been invited to compete in the Vuelta.

The fact that it is the first time that a UCI Professional Continental Team from Africa has been invited to compete in one of the major Tours (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana) makes it even more special.

There is a good chance that three to five riders from Africa will be racing in Spain.

“We want our team to be the number one registered UCI African Team in the world and to develop into an African road racing world champion. Seeing that Africa already produces the best endurance runners in the world, why can our cyclists not also be the best?

“We hope to draw our cycling talent from the emerging market, but the drawback is that there are simply not enough bicycles

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Africa’s top cyclists set to make history at Vuelta a Espana Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos Provided

in Africa and South Africa. That is why we are in a partnership with Qhubeka.

With our BicyclesChangeLives campaign the team is raising funds and providing exposure across the world. Our team will always consist of a 50% share of riders from Africa and from South Africa,” said Doug Ryder, the Team Principal.

When asked what he considers to be realistic goals for his riders during the Vuelta, Ryder said: “We will be going for the King of the Mountains jersey during the first few days as well as a stage win.

Other major goals are to be visible in breakaways and to try for stage wins on stages 3, 5, 8, 12, as well as on some of the hilly stages.”

After winning a bronze medal in the Under-23 Road World Championships, Louis Meintjes is considered by many to be the next real deal in South African cycling.

Ryder has high hopes for Meintjes.

“Louis rode very well in Giro del Trentino.

Not only was he 5th overall and won the young rider jersey, but he was also 2nd on the final stage, which was a mountain top finish. He realizes that he is very close to a big result and with the racing opportunities he will get during the next few years he will become a major stage race contender.”

Team SPORTING PROFILE: Cycling

Douglas Ryder TEAM PRINCIPLE

Daniel Teklehaimanot

Gerald Ciolek

Ignatas Konovalovas

Jaco Venter

Sergio Pardilla

Jacques Janse van Rensburg

Jay Thomson

Kristian Sbaragli

Linus Gerdemann

Louis Meintjes

Merhawi Kudus

Ryder himself was an accomplished rider who represented South Africa on numerous occasions. He even captained the national team.

“It was difficult to make it in cycling during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, but a highlight for me was captaining the national team for 10 years, from 1993 to 2002, during which period we raced all over the world, including the Peace Race.

We had an amazing time with amazing riders who loved cycling.

“Local highlights were winning the Cape Argus Cycle Tour in 2001 and the Boland Bank Cycle Tour in 1995 against the ONCE Team (Spanish Team) which was the number one team in the world that year. The Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 was the first time that professional riders were again allowed to compete, so it was great to be part of that race.

“I then became involved in management and in running a team, which is what I have done since the Lotus Development team was initiated in 1997. I have always believed in South African talent and I wanted to put together a team that would give riders the best opportunities to succeed.”

“My teams have always been performance managed and we strived for good results each year to improve and increase the level of cycling in South Africa. We have always dreamed of taking a team to the biggest races in the world, such as the Tour de France, but first we had to be the best in South Africa, then the best in Africa, and only then could we take on the world. We are there now.”

Side Bar A

Side Bar B

South African riders winning stages at the three major tours

Ryder chooses his team’s five biggest highlights that made an impact

Robert Hunter was only the second South African to win a stage in one of the major tours (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta Espana).

Alan van Heerden won the 7th stage of the Giro in 1979. Unfortunately it was during the apartheid era and, because South Africans were barred from competing in many of the major international sporting events, he had to resort to using a pseudonym.

Just to prove that Van Heerden’s victory was no fluke, Hunter won the 17th stage of the Vuelta in 2001.

Six years later he really made South African cycling history by winning the 11th stage of the Tour de France.

In 2012, when Hunter and his teammates won the team time trial at the Giro, he became the first South African rider to have won stages in all three of the Major Tours.

2012 Ronde van Zeeland Seaports: Reinardt Janse van Rensburg won after being in a breakaway with five Rabobank riders, including Mark Renshaw and Lars Boom. Janse van Rensburg beat them all.

2013 Milan San Remo: An incredible victory by Gerald Ciolek in the worst weather conditions. This put the team on the map in pro-cycling.

2013 Tour of Taiwan stage win: When Tsgabu Grmay became the 1st Ethiopian rider ever to win an international cycling race.

2013 The Under-23 World Championships: Louis Meintjes won the first World Road Cycling Medal for South Africa, showing what talent we have and the benefits of our race program and team.

2014 Tour of Azerbaijan: Stage victory by Youcef Reguigui, who became the 1st Algerian rider ever to win an international cycling race.

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Saffron Vosloo Game On

saffron vosloo

Game On: Mountain Biking Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos by Lee Ann Cantrell

Rivalries in sport are exciting and give people something to talk about.

Just think of Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal or Nadal vs Novak Djokovic (tennis); the Bulls vs WP (rugby); Springboks vs All Blacks (rugby) and Chris Froome vs Bradley Wiggins (although this was not so much a rivalry, but a feud).

In South African mountain biking there seems to be a blooming rivalry between Saffron Vosloo (Hoërskool Menlopark, who also races for LCB) and Lynette Benson (Hoërskool Waterkloof).

The two of them have recently been involved in some exciting ‘dirt wars’ in the ever popular Spur High School Mountain Bike series. Benson, who twice managed to come out tops, will admit that she was slightly lucky to beat Vosloo at the Hoërskool Hartbeespoort race. The two of them were away in a break and, just as they raced into a sharp corner, Benson made a slight error of judgement. Consequently the front wheel of her bike touched Vosloo’s back wheel, causing Benson to take a tumble.

After this mishap Vosloo was the clear favourite to win but, to the astonishment of the spectators, she slowed down and turned around to ask Benson if she was ‘OK’ before resuming her race. This act of sportsmanship turned out to be quite costly for Vosloo. She was outsprinted and lost by half a wheel-length to Benson.

Vosloo has no regrets about the way the race played out.

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ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: Mountain Biking

“Naturally I would have loved to have won, but it is more important for me to know that I really was the best on the day if I win. That is why I stopped to ask Lynette if she was ‘ok’ before resuming my race.

“I can feel that I am on the verge of racing the near perfect race. I just need to bide my time and avoid being over eager,” the African Youth Champion said.

Just to prove her point, Vosloo went to Sun City the next day and won the 25km race.

Once she starts talking about mountain biking and the races she had competed in and those she still wants to race, Vosloo is unable to hide her passion.

When she was still in primary school she excelled in athletics, swimming, netball and hockey, but it was always racing her mountain bike that made her heart beat that little bit faster.

“My older sisters, Simone and Savannah, who were also quite competitive at junior level, used to be my role models.

They always seemed to enjoy themselves when racing their mountain bikes and that is why I also decided to give it a go. I have never regretted my decision.

Nothing comes close to the adrenaline rush that a mountain bike race gives me on a good day.”

Vosloo does not hesitate to say that the late Burry Stander was her hero.

“When you watched Burry racing you could not help becoming motivated yourself. He was just such an inspiring rider and person, on and off the bike.”

One of the main problems currently experienced in South African mountain biking is that the technical skills of many of the riders, young and old, are not on the same level as those of their international counterparts. This especially applies to cross-country racing.

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Saffron Vosloo Game On

saffron vosloo

Vosloo, who is fully aware of this situation, had a long discussion with her dad, Philip, about it.

She admits that, before she will be able to race competitively at a World Championships, she will have to experience the way top international riders go about their training and racing. Therefore, if everything should go according to plan, she may get the opportunity to race and train in Europe for short stints in the foreseeable future.

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Lejeandre Marais & Vicky Sailer Cooler than ice

“figure skating”

lejeandre marais & vicky sailer

Cooler than ice Words by Philna van Veijeren, Photos by Bernard van Tonder

If you walk past The Ice Rink in The Grove Mall and witness their basic training academy, the word “figure skating” doesn’t immediately come to mind.

Little do we know that, in fact, we’re just a few hours late. If you had made your walk past the rink before the sun rose, a wholly different picture would have greeted you.

On a Saturday morning, the figure skaters start training at 5:15 am sharp. Their blades have to be almost as sharp as their wits to brave the ice in a series of breath-taking spins, twirls and jumps.

Ranging from four-year-olds to adults, they are all members of the Cutting Edge club, which was formed by the Gauteng North Figure Skating Association. They compete provincially, inter-provincially, nationally and even internationally at world renowned competitions such as the Junior Grand Prix of figure skating.

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In South Africa, figure skating isn’t a highly publicised sport – yet. Nevertheless we have incredibly talented skaters who have made a wondrously successful career out of figure skating, as well as many up-andcoming skaters who are starting to make their mark.

Lejeanne Marais is a six-time South African national champion figure skater.

She placed 30th in the World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, France in 2012. Marais’s incredible figure skating abilities have taken her across the world and success has followed her around.

She competed in the Youth Olympics in Australia, the Student Olympics in Turkey and has qualified for the World Championships an astounding five times.

She recently helped to train people for an international dance reality TV show that is being filmed in South Africa, and is now a coach at the rink in the Grove Mall as well. Marais loves figure skating because it is a beautiful, unique and technically challenging sport that keeps her strong, fit and healthy. She has now started coaching to give back to the sport that she loves and to help others.

Among the skaters that are training at the rink is eighteen-year old Vicky Sailer.

Sailer has competed in the South African

Nationals in 2008, 2009 and 2012 after acquiring her Gauteng North colours. She has participated overseas in the Santa Claus Cup in Budapest as well as being chosen for the Dream Program – an annual winter sports training camp for international youths hosted by Korea.

Sailer has been an avid figure skater since she was eight years old and first accompanied her older brother to buy his own ice skates. She noticed the training academy, joined in as soon as possible and soon was taken into figure skating training. Her record of success has only motivated her to become more ambitious, and her dedication echoes her aspirations.

She trains between 6 and 18 hours a week, depending on the time of year and personal conditions. Most training sessions are early in the morning, starting between 5 and 6 am.

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: Figure Skating

“Getting up early in the morning can be difficult, but there’s nothing that beats the feeling of being on the ice. It’s exhilarating - it makes your whole day better.”

Sailer recently had the opportunity of auditioning for Disney On Ice – the internationally famed travelling figure skating extravaganza. She doesn’t know if she has made the cut yet, but joining the cast is a big dream of hers, and she hopes to make Disney a big part of her career.

She is also very adamant about the importance of training off the ice as well, to condition your body and build the essential muscle power.

Figure skaters are thriving in South Africa, despite our shortage of winter sports facilities.

“Your entire live becomes about skating. You live skating, eat skating, sleep skating – even the essays you write at school are about skating. You won’t get far if you don’t work off the ice.”

Athletes like Marais and Sailer are paving the way for figure skating to grow and evolve in our country and, who knows? South Africa might be represented at a Winter Olympics sooner than we think.

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Nadine Smith & Lee-Ann Pearce Smith and Pearce driven by pure passion

nadine smith and lee-ann pearce

Smith and Pearce are

driven by pure passion Words by Wilhelm de Swardt, Photos Provided

What does not kill you makes you stronger or so they say.

Judging by what happened at the Rowing World Cup regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland it certainly seems that there might be some truth in it.

The High Performance Centre (hpc)’s Naydene Smith and Lee-Ann Pearse finished fourth in the women’s pair race at the World Cup in Lucerne. For them it is an exciting result especially since it happened just five weeks before the World Championships in Amsterdam.

Ardent sport fans might battle to understand why anybody could get excited about a fourth place finish because there are many who consider finishing second to be the first loser.

“We have both bounced back from bad back injuries and come out stronger fighting. Actually this year so far has been incredibly challenging with Lee having hip surgery in November last year and being told she will not be able to compete internationally this season. This did not get her down. She worked extra hard to win the prestigious women’s single scull event at SA champs in May this year with myself coming a close 2nd,” Smith explained.

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It is not just the fact that both of them have overcome setbacks which excites Pearce “Finishing fourth in Lucerne is pretty exciting. It is a step in the right direction as we don’t have to guess anymore as to what we need to do to get the boat to move faster. We know exactly what we need to do. I have no doubt that we will be faster when we get to the World Championships.

“Currently I am still on the backburner but I am working towards being able to do a 100% effort at the World Championships,” Pearce said.

Smith and Pearce have been partners since 2011 and if everything should go according to plan they will be spending many more hours together. It seems to be successful as a rowing team, is very similar to being in a relationship. Smith admits to it.

“Part of our training regime entails to us attending psychology sessions. Often we receive marriage counselling. It makes sense. As people want their marriage to succeed so do we want to our partnership in the boat to succeed.

“Lee-Ann and I got our separate lives which are extremely important but we share a common goal and that is to make the boat go faster all the time. So no matter what our personal differences might be at any given time we cannot afford ever to lose sight of what we are striving towards. The counselling is a welcome reminder to it.

“Our relationship in the boat is completely built on trust.

I know that Lee-Ann will put every ounce of power down to get us to the line in the quickest time as she knows I would. If you cannot have that, you can never succeed as a pairs rowing team.”

Smith readily admits that is not every day a case of plain “sailing”, but what happens in the boat stays in the boat.

ATHLETE SPORTING FEATURE: rowing

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SIFISO NHLAPO Nadine Smith &Lee-Ann / WILHELMPearce DE SWARDT Smith SOUTH and Pearce AFRICA’s are “PRINCE driven OFbyFRESH pureAIR” passion

A question begging for an answer is why do it?

Rowers are truly a unique specimen because the chances for them, especially in South Africa, to become true sporting heroes with a healthy bank balance are slim. If lucky they might break even when achieving their ultimate goal. This sad fact of life does not deter them to go out day in and day out to put in long hours of training which goes without saying with a lot of personal sacrifices.

A question begging for an answer is why do it?

“The most important thing you learn as a rower is that the word reward does not mean money,” Smith answers.

“Yes, unfortunately there are financial constraints in rowing but rowers are extremely competitive people. We thrive under pressure. The ultimate challenge for all of us is to race against somebody else and prove that you are better than they are.

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“Excuse the expression: ‘when the flag drops the ‘bullsh…’ stops. That is our team at the hpc’s motto. Being a competitive rower is actually more than rewarding because when you get a good result or beat a top team nobody can ever take it away from you. I don’t many people in office jobs get the same satisfaction.

“I will admit to it that the financial side makes it extremely difficult as we sacrifice a lot. Most of us only get to start a career after 30.

“To summarize: rowing will never be about rewards but is definitely about satisfaction…satisfying your competitive urges and satisfying the need to win.

Rowers might be a bit crazy, we prefer to beat somebody in a race more than to getting a cheque, that is talking for myself.

According to Pearce every morning when she wakes she is excited to go to the dam to row and learn new things about herself and the sport.

“But know this I will walk away from rowing whether I win a gold medal or finish stone last.”

“We put in so much work that is why we do well and this is more rewarding than money.”

Game On Magazine, September: Issue 09, 2014

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Rugby is everything!

ONLY

Are you ready for the match of your life?

Are you ready for Quest?

S T E K 15 TIC ABLE! AVAIL

For a true South African rugby fan there is nothing more special than to watch the Springboks beat the All Blacks.

A rugby test against New Zealand - is not just another rugby match! so join us for an adventure packed battle at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 4 October 2014. Cheer your team to victory without having to worry about where to park your car or whether it will still be there after the game.

Do you accept the challenge to join Quest?

True Fan Experience!

R1 500.00(per person)

@

For an additional R300.00 you could be picked up and dropped off at your house in PTA only.

www.questtours.co.za For more information contact Brandon Whiteley: 082 411 6253 Dirk Lourens: 072 854 6881

Programme Saturday: 13:00 Arrival at Exxaro H.Q. (Centurion), guets will be directed to their secure parking space and escorted to the braai area 14:30 Board the allocated buses and transported to Ellis Park 15:30 Arrive at Ellis Park (dropped off at the south side of the stadium) 17:00 Kick Off! 19:45 Board the allocated buses and transported back to Centurion 20:30 Arrive at Exxaro H.Q. (Centurion) Chauffeur service: A chauffeur service will be available at extra cost of R300.00 per guest to be collected and dropped off at a specific address in PTA if needed.

Images by Henry Kelbrick