The year that was: A review of Benoni and Boksburg’s sporting moments – Part 2
Near misses and triumphs. Others shone internationally while others made a name at the Comrades Marathon.
The second half of the year saw many triumphs and near-misses. Stars like Lythe Pillay shone on the global stage while Kate van Jaarsveld continued to excel on the road.
Our runners took on the ultimate human race in style while the up-and-coming shone on the CGA circuit.
Northerns narrowly missed out on the Eastern Super League title while Old Bens stuttered and two aerialists swung to victory in Switzerland.
Here are the sporting highlights from July to December 2022:
July
• The Shuttlestars Academy is officially launched at John Barrable Hall. Founder Dillan Schaap said they wanted to help nurture talented youngsters who will represent the country in the future.
• New World Shotokan Karate Boksburg dojo’s Aiden Corregedor and Kayleen Chetty were selected to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Karate Championships in Birmingham.
• Boksburg wrestler Jesse van Baalen wins at the Greco-Roman African Wrestling Championship in Morocco to qualify for the World Wrestling Competition in Italy.
• The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club Kwikscaff Marathon returns with great support. Boksburg twins Cobie and Carol Smith steal the show with a sprint to the finish to obtain first and second place respectively in the women’s 42.2km. Willem Maphanga won the men’s marathon while Kate van Jaarsveld won the women’s 21.1km event.
• Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association’s Jarred Elliot and Deidrè Jordaan represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
• Manchester United’s lead pre-academy coach Jarrad Ince conducts a coaching clinic at Supersport Soccer Schools at Benoni Country Club.
• South Africa U19 women’s cricket team get their ICC U19 Women’s World Cup preparations off to a flying start after convincingly beating Namibia in their T20 series at Willowmoore Park.
• Sensei Gareth Hird from the Goju Karate Academy Parkrand won a gold and silver medal at the 10th WUKF World Championships at Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA.
• Benoni resident Warren Eva and his friend John Black summit the K2 Mountain, becoming the first all-South African team to do so.
August
• Concerns are raised about the state of Willowmoore Park as a group of homeless men had turned a part of the venue along the fence on the corner of Harpur Avenue and Tom Jones Street into their home.
• Over 380 kickboxers from 12 African countries attend the WAKO Africa championship at John Barrable Hall.
• Brentwood Park resident Lythe Pillay wins the men’s 400m final at the World Athletics U20 championships in Cali, Colombia.
• Eastern Storm’s Mpumi Mashiloane wins the Cricket South Africa U16 girls’ player of the year.
• Eastern Cricket hosts the KFC mini-cricket 40th anniversary celebration at Willowmoore Park.
• Benoni Northerns FC prove it’s not important how you start but how you finish with a 3-0 victory over rivals Old Bens in the second derby of the Eastern Super League season. The reserve team won 2-0.
• Local runners take on their first Comrades Marathon challenge in two years. BAC’s Lindy-Lee Folscher shines as she finished in the top 20 in the women’s category. Shane McGregor from the BNAC finished 146th overall and 87th in his category.
September
• Rynfield resident Shane Ramsay competes at the fifth FINA junior open water championships in Seychelles.
• Local runners represent CGA at the ASA national cross-country championships in Rustenburg. Kate van Jaarsveld claimed a silver medal in her category.
• Willowmoore Park hosts the ACA Africa T20 Cup which was won by Uganda after Riazat Ali Shah smashed a 53-ball 98 to guide his team to an eight-wicket victory over Tanzania.
• Former South African cricketer and administrator Dr Ali Bacher is a guest speaker at the U3A meeting at Northfield Methodist Church.
• Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association’s Dillan Schaap is appointed the new Badminton South Africa’s junior national coach.
• Sixteen karateka from the Goju Karate Academy bring home 20 medals and four trophies from the sixth World Goju Ryu Karate Federation championships in Italy.
• Benoni Northerns Sports Clubs marks its 50th anniversary with a gala dinner at its premises in Northmead. The occasion celebrated the club’s rich history and achievements over the years.
October
• Old Bens Sports Club celebrates its 75th anniversary with a family fun day at the club’s premises in Rynfield.
• Locals Pieter Moolman and Jayden Schaper go head to head in a play-off round to determine the winner of the inaugural Fortress Invitational at Ebotse Links. It was Moolman who emerged victorious to walk away with the trophy and prize money.
• South Africa women’s U19 cricket team beat Zimbabwe U19 women 5-0 at Willowmoore Park.
• The East Rand Powerboat Club hosts the National Junior Powerboat CMH Tri-Cup series at CR Swart Dam.
• Avid runners braved the power cuts to take part in the BNAC Night Race sponsored by Jan L Jordaan. The streets of Northmead and Rynfield were lit with colour and runners came dressed in different costumes. Kate van Jaarsveld won the women’s 10km event while Kamogelo Masemola from Modder East won the men’s event.
• The Black Art Racing Team finishes second at the 24-hour iLamuna endurance race at the Redstar Raceway in Delmas.
November
• Eastern Storm ladies and Benoni Northerns wicketkeeper Lerato Langa attends the Momentum Proteas extended training camp in East London in preparation for the ICC Women’s World Cup next year.
• Beyers Park resident and slap fighter Johan ‘Looselaw’ van Vuuren was selected to part in UFC President Dana White’s Power Slap League in Las Vegas.
• Local aerialists Cheree Simpson and Alana Jackson put in a performance of their lives to win a gold medal in the artistic aerial hoop doubles 18+ category at the World Pole and Aerial Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Local 400m sensation Lythe Pillay is named the CGA junior athlete of the year at the association’s awards ceremony at Monte Casino.
• BAC athlete Reighardt Rautenbach claims a podium finish in the men’s 20-24 AG super-sprint at the World Triathlon Championships in Abu Dhabi.
• Local athletes rake in medals at the ASA sub-youth championships at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.
December
• Eastern Storm ladies and Benoni Northerns’ Madison Landsman is included in South Africa’s final squad for the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in January. She’s also announced as the team’s vice-captain.
• Functional training athlete and Coach Angelie Penney competes at the Legends Championship presented by Mayhem in Tennessee, USA.
Also Read: #Northerns50years: Happy birthday Northerns
Also Read: Fun-filled day as Old Bens celebrates 75th anniversary
