Panners return with gold from world championships
Team SA bring home nine medals from Spain.
Team South Africa returned to the World Gold Panning Championships hungry for more gold medals this year, and returned victorious. The week-long tournament was held in Navelgas, Spain last week. Panners from Mpumalanga accounted for most of the squad, the only one from Africa.
Accompanied by MEC for the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation Norah Mahlangu-Mabena, the team returned with nine medals on Wednesday, following some sightseeing of the country.
The number of medals were an improvement on the six they won at 2014’s World Gold Panning Championships.
Sanjay Singh scored a gold in the five-person international team. In the junior category Anja Cronjé also won gold with Nosipho Themba collecting a silver medal in the same section.
Surprise Mdluli finished third in the champ of champs category. Two-person team Jané and Sonet Vermaak also achieved a bronze medal. Another bronze was collected by three-person team Sonja Vermaak, Joseph Mashaka and Sherry Goodwin.
Mahlangu-Mabena commended them for their dedication and commitment. The department is currently also preparing for the annual National Gold Panning Championships. It will be taking place in Pilgrim’s Rest from October 7 to 10. Winners will stand a chance to represent South Africa at the world championships in Placerville, California in September 2016.
