Daily Dispatch

Top stick fighting star is born

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trouble mastering it.

“But then I started getting the hang of it and my love for the sport started to grow.”

Swelindawo said she had been selected last year to attend the festival but she declined because she felt she was not ready to play on the national stage.

“This year I saw that I was fit to compete with other stick fighters so I honoured the invitation and I am glad I did because I really enjoyed myself here and come next year I will be here again to defend my title.”

Khanyile, 26, who plays puca – a traditiona­l game popularly played by Xhosa girls – won seven of eight games where he scored 50 points out of 50 in all the games he won.

“I only lost one game and it was lack of concentrat­ion that cost me. This game was formerly played by women but as times changed men got into it as well.

“I am very passionate about puca and I want to be the best puca player the country has seen.”

The province is out of the race in DrieStokki­es. Yesterday they started with two players out of three in the semifinals after Babalwa Koli was disqualifi­ed after she touched the designated line while jumping for qualifying distance of 9.75. Dellarise Christian fell on 9.68 due to injury to take the province out of the competitio­n.

In Mrabaraba the province lost to Mpumalanga 15.5 to 20.5.

In the game of ncuva against North West the males lost 12 to 15 and the females lost three to 24.

 ??  ?? GIVING IT STICK: Eastern Cape's Asanda Swelindawo goes blow for blow with Limpopo's Dineo Monyepao during the 12th edition of the National Indigenous Games Festival in Polokwane
GIVING IT STICK: Eastern Cape's Asanda Swelindawo goes blow for blow with Limpopo's Dineo Monyepao during the 12th edition of the National Indigenous Games Festival in Polokwane

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