Sports talent at SA Championships impresses

The Free State Sport for the Physically Disabled and Visually Impaired (FSSAPD) sent 72 athletes to the South African National Championships held at the Coetzenburg Stadium in Stellenbosch from 27 to 31 March. The Free State team comprised para-cyclists, para-athletes, para-swimmers, boccia players, a cerebral palsy (CP) football team, as well as a men’s and women’s goalball team.

The para-cycling team comprised 22 riders. They won 37 gold, 19 silver and eight bronze medals. During the cycling events there were 13 record breakers, of which 10 athletes were of the FSSAPD team. The record breakers were Lehloane Leshoro, Denzel Mokone, Jimmy Ozode, Thato Antoon, Nicisha Slabbert, Cristiano Nieman, Omphile Rakwasi, Kananelo Ntsiea, Raynardt Labuschagne, and Izak van der Merwe.

Zihan Cronje won the Newcomer of the Championship, awarded to cyclists competing in their first South African Sports Association for Physically Disabled (SASAPD) National Championships with enthusiasm, effort and potential. Lehloane won the Cycling Machine award for exceptional talent and performance. The para-cycling team also won a floating trophy.

The boccia team had individual games. In the individual competition, Malefetsane Molise of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, (BC2); Naledi Nhlapo of the University of the Free State (UFS, BC4); and Faith Lesibe (UFS, BC5) won silver medals. Karabo Morapedi (CUT, BC3) won a gold medal.

There was also a senior men’s and senior women’s team consisting of players of the Motheo Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, CUT, and UFS. The men won a silver medal and the women a bronze medal. Kabello Ncheka became the number 3 top goal scorer for the whole senior women’s division.

The Free State CP football team comprised players of the Tswellang School, Martie du Plessis School, and senior players from the districts. They placed fourth.

The para-athletics team comprised 19 athletes that won 30 gold, four silver, and six bronze medals. Six records were broken by Obed Lekhehle, Brendan Warden, Liné Maree, and Anthony Snyman.

Luan Potgieter (S10, SB9, SM10), a Gr. 9 learner of the Hoërskool Sentraal, took part in para-swimming. He won gold in the 800m freestyle event, silver for the 200m breast stroke, and bronze in the 50m and 100m breast stroke events.

The Free State team won the BSAD Shield. Petri Cronje won the Provincial Volunteer of the Year Award for the FSSAPD. Nicolene Fourie won an Appreciation Award for the big role she is playing in para-swimming classification.