Latest Writing
Gary Lemke Wins The LKP Writers’ Award
Picture: Winning connections celebrate victory in this year’s L’Ormarins King’s Plate. (Picture: Wayne Marks). Gary Lemke has won the LKP Writers’ Award for the second time. WHEN PLANETS ALIGN This...
It’s Ready, Steady, Go for Rix in 2024/25
Michelle Rix cuts a confident figure as she stares into the camera, speaking to Brandon Bailey who is interviewing her about her upcoming runners for Cape Racing’s Perfectly Placed segment. She’s at...
Jordaan’s journey an example of faith and support
The Paralympic logo is painted on her left ring fingernail, and on her left wrist is a black band with an inscription in capital letters: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. On...
‘I’m the luckiest Paralympian in the world’ – Weir
The makeshift workshop and interview room is actually a space at the end of a corridor in the Paralympic village. Rohan Kennedy is assembling Kirsty Weir’s competition bike and this is a good time...
How Ferreira is overcoming life’s challenges
Alani Ferreira had her fingernails painted yellow before arriving at her third Paralympics. “It’s my favourite colour,” she says, as she taps her smartphone. Her screensaver pops up and she turns it...
The makings of a Paralympic gold medallist
More than an hour after having the Paralympic gold medal placed around her neck, Simone Kruger was still doing interviews and posing for selfies. Standing on the concourse of the Stade de France...
Size of the task facing Olympic nations
Size matters, it really does. As does context. So, as we tick off the days to the start of the Paris Olympics we’d be well advised to keep that in mind when it comes to assessing Team South Africa’s...
We have a score to settle with Ireland – Specman
Team South Africa’s men’s rugby sevens, widely known as the Blitzboks on the world circuit, head into their first match at the 2024 Olympics on Wednesday as one of the form teams. Despite having to...
Inspirational Smith still riding crest of the wave
Jordy Smith looks at the cover of the magazine. The underwater image is of a surfer and the headline reads: “He Walks On Water. And surfing’s new god is South African.” That was August 2010. He was...
Simmers feels right at home in France
For Mathrin Simmers home is where rugby takes her. At the age of 36 she is oldest member of the Team SA women’s sevens and also the most experienced. She is closing in on 100 matches for her country...
Magic of The Open
Each year I make the same mistake. I try to convince myself that The Masters is the one event that I’d want to attend if a genie came out of a bottle and granted me a wish. The reasons have always...
Leygonie ready to showcase his tricks
You’ve probably heard the expression of getting back on your bike after a fall. It’s a way of saying that when life comes at you and knocks you down, stand up, dust yourself off and carry on again. ...
Who Remembers The Million Dollar Race?
They call him ‘Heavy’, which in all fairness isn’t the most complimentary nickname to have if you’re a professional jockey. However, Heavelon van der Hoven makes light of the reference. “Even the...
Golden girl Van Rensburg born to be a champion
Are champions born or made? It’s an age-old debate and the answer is probably that it’s a combination of both. Early in the evening of Monday, 11th March, at the Borteyman Sports Complex Aquatics...
Hogan looking to land more big fish on way to Paris
Meet Victor Hogan, a 140kg, 1.99m man mountain by day, a gentle giant by night. He was Team South Africa’s first athletics gold medallist in Accra, Ghana, and continued the country’s impressive line...
The day Mhlanga fought for his life – and won
Wrestling saved Michael Mhlanga’s life. That’s no exaggeration, it really did. Last year, in fact, at 6 o’clock one morning in Boksburg. This is the 18-year-old’s story, so let him tell it like it...
Tsebe setting the standard in mind games
When she speaks it’s with a soft voice. I’m sitting about a metre away from her but initially have to lean in a bit to hear what she is saying. Perhaps it’s because Dr Koketjo Tsebe is a sports...
An arm wrestling team all pulling for each other
Firstly, let’s dispel the myth and the stereotype. Gert, the burly regular who has his own stool at the counter of the local pub and who can change a flat tyre without needing a jack, might have won...
Table tennis coach Lyners playing the long game
As a group of athletes step onto the escalator in single file, heading towards international departures at OR Tambo, there’s one person in a Team SA tracksuit cruising up the adjoining stairs. He’s...
Scholtz has designs on Games gold (again)
When running one’s finger down the list of more than 200 athletes and 18 codes representing Team SA at the African Games in Ghana, it quickly stops at the letter “B”. Badminton, following Arm...