Germiston’s sporting highlights for 2019

It is the first month of the new year and slowly the world of sport begins to turn.

As we eagerly wait to see what the year has in store, we look back and shine the light on some of the great achievements our sports personalities produced in 2019.

January:

• Athletes tested their stamina in the second leg of Trinity Sport’s gruelling triathlon and duathlon series. Athletes could be seen swimming in Germiston Lake, before whizzing and charging through the Germiston streets.

February:

• Tragedy befell Germiston High School’s rowing team when an unforgiving storm destroyed the school’s boathouse, boats and other equipment.

• The Elsburg Eagles Cricket Club continued to soar in the second half of the Easterns Cricket League 2018/2019 season.

• Paddlers made a splash in Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s (VLC) annual Night Race at Germiston Lake. Clinton Cook won the event.

March:

• Athletes laced up their running shoes for the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) track and field season. Athletes from local clubs, Diamond Athletics Club and Germiston Callies Harriers, shone at the event.

• Local boxer Deejay Kriel made international waves when he travelled to Los Angeles for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Championships.

• The Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) Super League season got underway with Luso Africa Football Club winning their opening match, while Germiston City Football Club drew their opening match.

April:

• Thierry Midoux, fondly known as ‘The French Monster’ retired from wrestling with a special tribute show by Honour Wrestling Association (HWA).

• Runners from near and far braved the chilly weather to take part in the annual Alan Robb Race, hosted by Germiston Callies Harriers.

• Luso Africa Football Club and Germiston City Football Club met in a Germiston derby during the Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) Super League. Luso won the derby 8-1.

May:

• The 2019 Sizwe Medical Fund and 3SixtyLife Athletics South Africa (ASA) Senior Track and Field and Combined Events Championships were held at Germiston Stadium.

• The third and final leg of Trinity Sport’s gruelling triathlon and duathlon series took place at Germiston Lake, and athletes were once again put through their paces.

• The second annual 100 Cycle Challenge started and finished at Germiston Lake once again. The event was a huge success putting cyclists through their paces in several different categories.

June:

• The Elsburg Rugby Club were put through their paces in the Kestrel League.

• Paddlers prepared for the South African Marathon Championships and Fish River Canoe Marathon during Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s (VLC) Bearing Vision Flat Race. Clinton Cook (who won the VLC Night Race) won the event.

• Several Tebbutt’s Mixed Martial Arts Academy students were selected to participate in the World Martial Arts Organisation (WMO) World Championships.

July:

• The National Disability Bowls Tournament was hosted by Ekurhuleni Bowls (EKB), a number of the matches were played at the Delville Germiston Bowling Club.

• Robert Bornman, from Elspark, was selected to travel to Georgia to compete in the Travel and Sport Invitational Rugby Week.

• Shiraz Samuels (9) from Dinwiddie is making his mark in the world golf. Shiraz began playing golf at the tender age of four and has never looked back.

August:

• Purfecto Archery Club, who hold their practice sessions at Hoërskool Elspark, held a successful competition, which saw competitors from far and wide competing.

• Elsburg Rugby Club continues to charge their way through the Kestrel League to win the trophy.

September:

• Raptors Wrestling Club, in Oak Avenue, Primrose East, was abuzz with activity as young wrestlers showcased their skills in the Eastern Gauteng Medal Championships.

• As winter turns to spring, runners from near and far travelled to Germiston for the annual Fred Morrison Half-Marathon.

• Elsburg-based fighter Pietie ‘Thunder’ Coxen prepared to face Dino ‘The Lion’ Bagattin in the EFC 82 hexagon.

October:

• Athletes flocked to Germiston Stadium for Central Gauteng Athletics’ (CGA) first track and field meeting of the 2019/20 season.

• Football fans were kept on the edge of their seats during the Dream Cup played at Dukathole Stadium.

• Trinity Sport’s three-part triathlon and duathlon series for the 2019/20 season got underway at Germiston Lake.

November:

• Over 900 athletes tackled the grueling Standard Bank 5150 Ekurhuleni Triathlon. The race saw competitors swimming, cycling and running their way through Germiston.

• The OR Tambo Soncini Social Cohesion Games, held at Germiston Stadium, saw athletes competing in a number of different disciplines.

• Elsburg Eagles Cricket Club’s u-10 side continued to grow in leaps and bounds in the Easterns Cricket League, and the club couldn’t be prouder.

December:

• Tebbutt’s Mixed Martial Arts Academy students Landie van Niekerk and Cole Pretorius packed a punch at the Full Contact Martial Arts (FCMA) World Championships, in Blackpool, in England.

• Diamond Athletics Club has continued to grow from strength to strength with several athletes being selected as part of the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) team.

• East Rand Veterans Boxing Association (ERVBA) celebrated the end of another year with a fun-filled western themed year-end function.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Ashley Kiley (Journalist) ashleyk@caxton.co.za.

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