Spar Superstars SCS 2024

VARSANA-RANI Naidoo, a Grade 7 learner at Athlone Park Primary School, hosts a weekly show on Hindvani Radio Station called Balvaani. It is a children’s show about real life stories and situations, such as studying tips. She does the show to help and inspire other young people.

SOLWAZI Thutshini, a Grade 2 learner at Doon Heights Primary School, auditioned for Uzalo’s Sinethemba character last year September and got cast for a feature character. The show started filming in October last year. He shot a couple of scenes that were broadcast on different episodes of Uzalo.
Uzalo is a South African soap opera that currently broadcasts on SABC 1.
Solwazi got the inspiration from his father who has also been a cast member of Uzalo and Imbewu (eTV) soapies.

DAX Herbst, a Grade 7 learner at Warner Beach Preparatory School, has been selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal at the SA Schools National Swimming Championship in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in April.
He put on a brilliant performance at the KZN Aquatics Championships that was recently held as a qualifier for the championships. He received gold for the 200m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke, and silver for the 50m breaststroke and 200m freestyle. Dax also won all five of his races at the recent inter-school gala, and was named Victor Ludorum at the school’s inter-house gala.

CAMILL Moodley, a Grade 4 learner at Warner Beach Preparatory School, did exceptionally well at the recent inter-school gala. He won all four of his races, and set a new record in the U11 boys’ butterfly race.
He was also part of the team that took part in the Durban & District’s C League Gala at Kings Park Swimming Pool. A great effort by Warners saw the boys miss out on the win by the narrowest of margins.

ARAGON Douglas goes to Warner Beach Preparatory School and is a dedicatted nipper at the Warnerdoone Lifesaving Club. At the beginning of March, he participated in the KZN Lifesaving Championships where he secured some impressive placements in several events. He placed second in the run-swim-run event, third in beach flags, third in surf swim, fourth in iron nipper, fourth in board race, fifth in beach sprints, fifth in mixed beach relay, eighth in mixed board relay, and ninth in mixed taplin relay.
Aragon faced stiff competition in events that demanded peak fitness levels and a competitive spirit. Despite the challenges, his dedication and hard work paid off. Aragon and his teammates from the Warnerdoone Lifesaving Club will be representing the region at the South African Lifesaving Championships at the end of March.

AMANZIMTOTI High School matric learner, Matthew Maree, was selected for the Umlazi Swimming team at the beginning of February. On February 17 and 18, he swam at the KZN Swimming Trials. Matthew swam in the 50m and 100m freestyle, and the 50m and 100m butterfly. Matthew placed in the top 10 in his races, in a tough 17-18 age group and earned a gold medal for the 50m butterfly in a time of 26.43 seconds.

AIDEN Overbeek, a Grade 9 learner at Amanzimtoti High School, achieved outstanding results at the KZN Lifesaving Championships that was held earlier this month.
He came first in sprits and was crowned the KZN champion, second in flags and second in the sprint relay.

LIAM Tye Ram, a Grade 11 learner at Kingsway High School, is an all-round sports and academic achiever and is known for his sterling character and potential to be a phenomenal leader.
Hockey coach, Christopher Clarke, said he was the boys’ first team indoor captain last year, and was a standout player in both indoor and outdoor hockey. He is also a top performer in cricket.
Liam’s mother said he has achieved a lot throughout his schooling career and has been involved in school activities, whether raising funds, playing sport or supporting other groups.

AMANZIMTOTI High School’s Grade 8 learner, Talitha Schuch, set a new record in the recently held inter-school gala. She clocked 40,75 seconds in the 50m breaststroke. She also participated in the KZN Schools Swimming Trials where she placed fifth in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 40,49. She has also swam the Midmar Mile.

SENZO Ngcobo, a Grade 10 learner at Mcothoyi High School in Umgababa, is making big strides in canoeing. He participated in and completed this year’s gruelling Dusi Canoe Marathon. He also participated in the latest International Canoe Federation Olympic Hopes Regatta in Poland and clocked impressive scores.
Senzo is a member of the Siyaphambili Surfski Club, a development canoe institution that aims to promote canoeing in Umgababa.

CAITLIN Steenkamp of Warner Beach is home schooled and is doing her general education diploma, an equivalent of matric. Her bodyboarding prowess has seen her named the country’s number-one female bodyboarder after her win at the South African Bodyboarding Championships. She recently participated in the competitive Cape Town Pro 2024 where she did well.

RUAVE Ramkalawan, a Grade 7 learner, won third place in kata for the boys’ U13 greenbelt division at the JKA KZN Provincial Champs. He has now been selected to participate at the SA JKA Champs in May.

ISABEL van Heerden, a Grade 6 learner, was crowned champion at the 2024 SA Schools Canoeing Championships that was recently held at Victoria Lake in Germiston. Izzy, as she is affectionately known, stole the show and walked away with a clean sweep of four gold medals, winning all her races. She came first in the U12 girls’ 2000m LD event, 1000m, 500m and 200m.
The school’s Wade Botha said she has been paddling since she was eight years old and is no stranger to the podium or racking up national titles.
“However, this was her most dominant performance yet, a product of all the hard work she has put in at the Toti Canoe Club under the watchful eye of coach Deidre Bentley,” he said. The focus now shifts from sprint paddling to marathon, ahead of the KZN Champs in May.

DAYNE Clarke, a Grade 6 learner, secured an impressive national ranking in his first SA Schools Canoeing Championships that was held at Victoria Lake in Germiston recently.
The school’s Wade Botha, said he is a newcomer to the sport, but born into paddling royalty. “He did not disappoint in his first national championships, making his way through numerous rounds as he fought his way through the 32 strong field of U12 boys to finish in seventh place in the 1000m, and fifth in both the 500m and 200m events,” he said, adding that it is an impressive national ranking for his first season.
The focus now shifts from sprint paddling to marathon ahead of the KZN Champs in May.

RYAN Kyle, a Grade 4 learner, did exceptionally well in the Level 2 Regional Championships at the Kings Park Swimming Pool recently.
Out of 10 events, he made it into eight finals, and achieved personal best times for nine events. He received silver for the 50m backstroke (39 seconds) and 100m backstroke (01:29) as well as a bronze for 50m butterfly (37 seconds) where he was the only nine year old in that final event.

MIANÉ Steyn, a Grade 5 learner, improved all her personal best times and reached the backstroke final at the South African Level 2 regional swimming championship held at Kings Park recently.

UNATHI Shezi, a Grade 6 learner, recently made the southern KZN athletics team, with her key area being long jump. The school’s Liesl Kroucamp said Unathi became interested in athletics and long jump in Grade 1 when she realised it not only allowed her to compete against others, but more importantly, herself. “It was after placing first in a number of events that she realised she had a particular talent for athletics,” she said. Unathi’s inspiration is her mother, who was once a star athlete in high school. “Her mom has taught her the importance of pushing yourself daily to always be better and with every effort, beat your best,” said Kroucamp. Unathi intends to one day represent South Africa at the Olympic Games – hopefully in 2032.

EMMA Taylor, a Grade 8 learner, conquered two canoe sprinting championships. At the recent KZN Canoe Sprinting Championships, she received silver for the 200m, 500m and 1000m races. Then, at the SA School’s Canoe Sprint Championships, she came third in the 200m K1 heat and sixth in the final, second in the 500m K1 heat and fourth in the final, third in the 1000m K1 heat and fifth in the final, and received sixth place in the U16 200m K2 final.

AIDEN Overbeek, a Grade 9 learner at Amanzimtoti High School, achieved outstanding results at the KZN Lifesaving Championships that was held earlier this month.
He came first in sprits and was crowned the KZN champion, second in flags and second in the sprint relay.

MORNE Claassen, a Grade 12 learner, finished first in the junior category in the Galleria Mall Challenge’s 21km half-marathon that was recently held. The Hollywood Athletics Club member finished in a time of 02:17:01.

WANDILE Dube, a Grade 11 learner, is a member of the Siyaphambili Surfski Club and has some national and international canoeing experience. He took part in this year’s Dusi Canoe Marathon where he and his partner came ninth in the U18 race and 100th overall. He also competed in the most recent Olympic Dreams Regatta in Poland. He believes that the experience he is gaining from the various competitions is shaping him to be one of the best canoeists the country has ever produced.

JOHN Fisher, a Grade 10 learner recently participated in the Clash of the Titans 2024 powerlifting competition that was held in Hillcrest.
He did very well in the competition, qualifying for the national championships which will be held in Durban in August.
Going against seasoned powerlifters, John participated in squat – 130kg, bench – 70kg, and deadlift – 170kg. His total lifted weight was 380kg.

ZANDRE Erasmus, a Grade 11 learner won rugby forwards player of the tournament at the 41st Amajuba Sports Week that took place at Volksrust High School, recently.
Zandre played a huge role in the first-team who were ultimately crowned the champions after their 34–13 victory over Hoërskool Patriot in the final match.