2014 sport news in review

2014 has been a great sporting year for residents. Here are some of our memorable sporting achievements:

Hekkie Budler

When he realised he had done it again, 26-year-old boxer Hector (Hekkie) Budler fell to his knees and then stood up to kiss his fiancé Roxy Palmer.

“I was so excited because being a world champion is one of the biggest achievements in the life of a career boxer,” says Budler who holds the two world titles.

He is the reigning International Boxing Organisation (IBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) champion.

Budler has won 27 matches and has had nine knockouts in the mini-flyweight division he fights in.

He is one of the few contrary to the expectations who knocked champion Nkosinathi Joyi stone cold.

Decland Wright

When he broke his first world record in 2014, 11-year-old athlete Decland Wright said, “I’ll definitely break more world records”.

And he meant it.

It is without a doubt that the year has been great for the talented local athlete.

Decland currently holds the South African U11 championship title, which he claimed in the final race of the year on 22 November in Sasolburg, after running the

1 200m race and breaking the record by a whopping 00:03:31.

He has three South African titles and is also the proud title holder of four world records so far.

Terence Parkin

Olympic swimming gold medalist Terence Parkin and Linden’s David Batzofin made history last October when they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

Parkin is the first deaf swimmer to stand on the Uhuru Peak, and his team took only seven days.

This climb was anything but ordinary. It was driven by a social cause.

The climb was to raise awareness of St Vincent School for the Deaf and the work they do.

St Vincent has been educating deaf children for the past 75 years.

Abner Dickson

Twelve-year-old Abner Dickson from Generaal Christiaan de Wet Primary School won the U13 Gauteng tennis champion title.

The Sophiatown resident has always loved playing tennis and in 2014 her love for the sport paid off.

Abner is consistent with her sports. She trains three times a week and sets aside a whopping nine hours for tennis. In doing so, she is also reaping the benefits.

“I got a bursary through tennis to study at Monument Hoërskool which is in Krugersdorp. I am so excited because this shows hard work pays off,” she said.

She was also among the top 10 pupils in the country who were selected to play in the USA.