MAXINE TWADDLE
28 Tuks students will travel to Kazan, Russia for the World Student Games (WSG), also called the Universiade, in the next week.
Director of TuksSport Kobus van der Walt wished the students luck at a farewell function held on Wednesday. He congratulated Tuks students for being selected to represent South Africa at the WSG, which is the biggest international multi-disciplinary sporting event after the Olympics.
Van der Walt praised the university’s sport structure for producing high-caliber athletes. Of the 93 students in the South African team, 28 students are from Tuks. There is only one sporting code in which Tuks does not have more representatives than other South African universities.
Keneilwe Mathibela and Nonhlanhla Phalama, who will represent South Africa in women’s football, told Perdeby that they were very excited to be selected for the event. Mathibela said that she is confident the team will perform well. “It is a good team,” she said. “We are hoping to make it through at least the first round and hopefully to the semi-finals.”
It is likely that the seven track and field athletes from Tuks will travel to Russia with the rest of the squad, despite Sascoc (the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) suspending ASA (Athletics South Africa) and all its affiliated athletes last weekend. ASA’s suspension came after president James Evans allegedly acted against the organisation’s constitution by firing seven board members. At a press conference held on Tuesday, Sascoc president Gideon Sam told media that he is negotiating for student athletes to participate in the WSG despite sanctions against ASA.
The following Tuks athletes are representing South Africa at the World Student Games:
Athletics: Pieter Christiaan Beneke, Pieter Conradie, Anneri Ebersohn, Maryke Oberholzer, Akani Simbine, Wayne Snyman and Jacques de Swardt.
Football: Keneilwe Mathibela, Sello Mokoena and Nonhlanhla Phalama.
Gymnastics: Julene van Rooyen
Hockey: Grant Glutz, Ross Gonsalves, Matthew Guise-Brown, Keagan Robinson and Rene de la Peyre.
Judo: Ruan-Tobie Snyman and Dale Whittaker.
Shooting: Alistair Davis.
Swimming: Douglas Erasmus, Nico Meyer and Neil de Villiers.
Table tennis: Gila Barit.
Rowing: James Brittain, Scott Donaldson, Imogin Mackie, Gareth Mayberry and Devon Miller.
Image: Reinhard Nell
