Looking back at the sporting highlights of 2023

The start of a new year is usually filled with excitement and anticipation of what is to come. Before we kick off 2024, we would like to look back at some of the sporting highlights from last year.

January
The year began with the Ekurhuleni Nomads Order of Merit Inland event at ERPM Golf Club. Filip Sakota emerged victorious.

February
Former Ekurhuleni women’s golf captain Caitlyn Macnab retained her place in the GolfRSA National Squad. She has been a member of the squad since 2018. The Brakpan Amateur Boxing Club finally returned to training after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dalpark’s Koko Bowling Centre hosted an international training event. The coaching clinic saw teams from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Mauritius participate.

March
Six-year-old motorcycle racer Marnitz Otten won the first leg of the South African Short Circuit Series in Vereeniging. He competed in the PW50 class.

Trevor Raper won the A division of the Royal Oak Country Club Championships, while his father, Shawn, won the B division.

April
Local golfer Charlene Pienaar became South Africa’s first female disabled world champion at the ISPS Honda IBGA World Blind Championships in Cape Town.

State Mines Country Club’s Casey Jarvis became the second-youngest person to shoot 59 or lower in a 72-hole tournament in one of the major professional events. He achieved this at a tournament in Dainfern on the Sunshine Tour.

May
There were sad moments during the year. The golf fraternity was hit hard when they learnt of the passing of former Ekurhuleni Golf Union administrator Joan Herbert. She had been in charge of 17 golf clubs in Ekurhuleni.

Young Marnitz Otten remained unbeaten in the South African Short Circuit Series when he won his motorbike race in the Benoni leg of the competition.

June
Ekurhuleni’s Susan Andrew was elected as president of Women’s Golf South Africa at an AGM in Paarl.
Dalpark’s sensei Chris Anthony was awarded his seventh dan black belt after 52 years of training in karate.

July
Local golfer Altin van der Merwe was selected to represent South Africa at the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi.

August
Local fighter Darius Dekker finished fifth at the International Mixed Martial Arts Youth World Championships.

September
Brakpan’s Jordan Burnand was selected to represent South Africa at the Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup and the International Teams Golf Tournaments in Argentina.

The Ekurhuleni women’s netball team won the Gauteng Championships in Randfontein. Brakpan’s Brandon van Wyk represented South Africa at the U19 Indoor Netball Tri Nations in Australia.

October
Former Ekurhuleni women’s golf captain Caitlyn Macnab climbed to a career-high 18th spot in the official world amateur rankings.

The Dan Triangle Club’s Christopher Thela and Stephanie Watt returned with medals from the KWF World Championships in Japan. The karate event saw Thela win a gold medal for kumite (fighting), while Watt brought home bronze for the kata.

November
Youngster Kiara Dicks capped off a good year by winning the State Mines Country Club Golf Club Championships. The 16-year-old also won several tournaments in Ekurhuleni.

Brakpan Athletic Club’s Azel de Villiers walked away with 10 medals from the African Masters Championships in Pretoria. These included a gold in the shot put.

December
Unfortunately, Jordan Burnand missed the cut at the South African Open Championships in Lanseria. However, the golfer had a good year after having competed in several international tournaments abroad.