This is destined to be another massive year for sports. It started on a high with Dricus ‘Stillknocks’ du Plessis winning his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title in the bout against Strickland and becoming the middleweight champion. Bafana Bafana also played excellent football and impressed everyone by winning the bronze medal in the African Cup Of Nations (AFCON). So, what else can we expect from this year’s sporting lineup?
Probably the most anticipated tournament of this year is the Summer Olympic Games in France, which commences 24 July. The South Africans to look out for are Wayde van Niekerk, world record holder for the 400-metre dash, and swimmer Chad le Clos, SA’s most decorated Olympic athlete ever. The new additions to this year’s Olympics are surfing, breaking, sport climbing and skateboarding. The Paralympics will start on 28 August, with more than 4400 athletes competing. South Africa’s own Nicolas Pieter du Preez is set to defend his title as time trial H1 winner in para-athletics, which he secured at the 2020 Japan Olympics.
Euro 2024 kicks off on 14 June with defending champions Italy hoping to make a comeback after failing to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments. For the petrol fanatics or drama lovers, the new Formula 1 season starts in March. Carlos Sainz Jr is set to leave Ferrari at the end of 2024. This comes after Lewis Hamilton announced that he will join the Scuderia team at the start of 2025. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is set to start in June this year with the USA and West Indies being the host nations for the first time. Can the Proteas perform and bring the cup back home?
Back on home soil, UP-Tuks men’s rugby team are set to start their Varsity Shield campaign on 23 February. They will play their first home match on 1 March. Time to back our boytjies so that they can return to the Varsity Cup next year! Varsity netball and football are also set to start in due course. So, Tukkies, let us support our teams!
There it is, the 2024 sporting lineup that is absolutely booming with events. PDBY Sport is excited to catch the action and hopes you are too. This is sure to be a ‘Stillknocks’ knockout of a sports year!
