UJ’s stellar 2021 USSA championships
WESTDENE – UJ’s senior director of sport is immensely proud of the university's athletes, coaches and support structures.
UJ finishes second on the medals table at the 2021 University Sport South Africa Championships.
The athletes of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have brought pride and honour to their university after securing 24 medals in various sporting codes, including track and field, high, triple and long jumps as well as discus, hammer, and javelin. The University Sport South Africa (USSA) Championships were recently held at UJ’s Westdene Athletics Stadium and the first such events since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.
UJ came second to North West University who won a total of 34 medals, of which 13 were gold. Of UJ’s medals, 10 were gold, 7 silver and the remaining 7 bronze. UJ’s Athletics Club manager, Roger Haitengi, said “We’re very happy that UJ held successful championships. It was also a heartwarming experience to have UJ listed in position two on the medal standings of the 2021 USSA championships. I am extremely happy for all my athletes who participated in the event, it is even better that we have received medals after the long pause of university sports during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.”
Star performer for UJ was Nicole van der Merwe, who won two gold medals for the 21km and 10 000m runs. She also scooped a silver medal for the 5 000m distance run. Joining van der Merwe on the gold medal standings were Thamsanqa Khonco for the men’s 21km distance run, Elvis Mohmomoawa in the men’s 800m and 1 500m and Maxime Chaumeton in the 5 000m distance. Tshwanelo Aabobe bagged a gold for triple jump and a silver high jump while Divan Mannuel and Patience Ntshingila brought home the gold medals for men’s and women’s long jumps.
Other athletes who added to the medals tally were Nkosinathi Sibiya (5 000m senior men’s run), Rachel Leistra (5 000m women’s run), Meike Strydom and Dane Roets (shotput), and Tshepo Lefete. UJ’s Jason van Rooyen and Leandri Geel equaled the previous South African records in the men’s senior shotput with a 20.40m and 56.50m in the women’s senior hammer throws, respectively.
UJ’s senior director of sport, Nomsa Mahlangu, congratulated all the athletes who participated in the USSA Championships and stated that those who won medals had done an incredible job. She added, “Thank you to all the institutions that participated, we are immensely proud of the outstanding work of all the coaches and the support of the university management.”
