Alberton’s queen of the pool table

Meyersdal resident Nikki Bamping will be representing South Africa on the felt top at the All Africa Blackball Championship in Lusaka, Zambia, in March.

For this intrepid 33-year-old advocate for women in sport, this achievement is the culmination of hard work and dedication to a sport she has loved for years.

Nikki first started playing when she was around 11 and immediately felt the knack for the game.

“I loved the game from the moment I picked up my first cue,” said Bamping.

Since then, she has played the game on and off but began playing seriously in leagues when she was 26. Her pool journey reached a new beginning when she qualified to wear the green and gold following the 2020-2021 season.
Nikki said the reality of representing her country on this scale had taken a while to set in. In this last month, the gravity of the situation has set in.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks,” laughed Bamping.

“It is going to be surreal. I just hope I will be able to calm my nerves.”

She said she is excited to be able to represent her country as a woman in the sport she loves.

While pool has historically been associated with men, Bamping expressed her excitement about the growth in the sport.

This year at the provincial qualifiers she said the number of women competing has doubled. In this sport, especially for women, she said it is important to have a support structure that can help you.

This is also her advice to young ladies starting out in the sport.

“It is very important for women to get a female role model in the sport,” said Bamping.

“But the most important thing is to enjoy it.”

Bamping will be in Lusaka from March 3 to 7. The government does not provide for the costs of all the competing blackball athletes and costs such as travel, accommodation and Covid tests need to be covered by the athletes themselves.

If anyone would like to assist Bamping in representing her country, you can contact her on 082 669 6710.