Umgababa lifesaver excels in Africa championships
Bandile Ncanana won three gold and one silver medal at the ILS Africa Championships. The South African team won first place overall.
BANDILE Ncanana of Umgababa is still over the moon after being selected for the South Africa President’s lifesaving team that competed in the ILS Africa Championships in Durban from March 19 to 20.
Also read: Lifesaver makes it to KZN champs
The South African team was competing against lifesaving teams from across the continent and won first place overall. Egypt came second and Morocco was in third place. Members of the President’s team are young sportsmen and women who have not yet been Protea-capped but are chosen for their specialist skills, all-round ability and their future promise in lifesaving.
Even though he was competing against the best of the best, Bandile walked away with three gold and one silver medal.
“It was a great experience competing at the national level, and I enjoyed the event,” said Bandile.
One of the events that Team South Africa dominated and won was the beach sprints relay. The versatile 20-year-old specialises in the long run and beach sprints and relishes the competitiveness of international lifesaving against the best of Africa.
In a statement, the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club, which Bandile is a member of, congratulated him.
“This was Bandile’s first international appearance, but he has an accomplished record for both his club and province, where he has excelled in the surf events with several podium finishes. We wish Bandile and Lifesaving South Africa’s President’s team all the best,” it said.
The competition format of the ILS Africa Championships differs from the World Championships format in that it excludes ski but has the addition of a beach run. There is a strong focus on swimming and beach disciplines, which are the pure essence of surf lifesaving.
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