Celebrating women doing extraordinary things

KwaThema –The KwaThema-based BAFAnation body building and power lifting club was crowned third place at the South African Women in Sports events which took place between May 17 and 18.

The event was held in Sandton and was part of the different sporting codes creating-awareness campaign.

The campaign started in March throughout the province.

Representing the club was Rachel Kgapola and Ruth Nkosi.

“Basically, they were taking females from each sport federations around Gauteng,” explains the BAFAnation sport coach.

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The event was to recognise women in sport and celebrate them for the work they do.

Rachel Kgapola says, “It was more about gender equality of how man treat us differently as women when it comes to sport such as bodybuilding and powerlifting.”

Rachel says they sometimes face stereotypical criticism from the community because people still have the mentality that female bodybuilders tend to look manly and masculine.

“The event was a measure to uplift women and for women to uplift each other to say just because you lift weights it doesn’t make you less of a women or not feminine enough,” says Kgapola.

Ruth Nkosi, a bodybuilder and powerlifter from BAFAnation, expressed gratitude for all the things she learnt from the event, and says even though there are challenges, women should not be discouraged from doing the things they love.

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“There are not enough females who are leaders in sport, and we still need support from the government.

“Another thing we have learnt as women, and adding as a disadvantage, is the accessibility of sports bras in different forms,” says Nkosi.

The club is inviting local females to join them on June 1 as they will be hosting sporting clinics.

Anyone from primary school to elderly people is welcome.