Border legends recognised at awards ceremony
Athletes of the past an inspiration for today’s competitors
It was a great experience to see that there were so many athletes before my playing time who paved the way for us
A total of 85 Border athletes across various sports codes were honoured at the Border Icons in Sports awards gala dinner at the Summit Lifestyle Centre in Beacon Bay on Saturday.
The awards were in recognition of Border stars who excelled before and after apartheid.
Among the stars who were honoured were Springbok scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse and his younger brother Jordan (rugby); SA women’s hockey centre forward Bianca Wood; Banyana midfielder Robyn Moodley, who was crowned Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champion in August; late boxing champion Leighandre Jegels; Fabian Gregory, Thobile Mtya and Ashley Wyngaard.
Mtya was honoured under the rugby legends category.
He played for Swallows, Mdantsane, Border Rugby Union, Border Aloes and the South African Rugby Union XV and became the first black player to play for Border Rugby Football Union after unity in 1992.
“The awards were a great reminder of sports history in the Border region,” Mtya said
“It was a platform to engage and share ideas that can uplift sport in our communities, in particular school sports, because that is the grassroots level of every sport,” he said.
Hockey star Wood was recognised for outstanding achievement.
She represented the SA Women’s Hockey team at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games this year.
“It was a great experience to see that there were so many athletes before my playing time who paved the way for us,” Wood said.
“Being honoured with them means a lot. It means that my hard work is showing, and I must continue so that I can be an inspiration to the coming generation,” she said.
Border Legends honoured were:
Women’s hockey: Molly Phillips, August van Heerden, Valda du Plessis, Bernadette Adonis, Priscilla van der Merwe, Ellerees Luke, Na-eemah Williams, Jennifer Leith.
Men’s hockey: Jimmy Mohamed, Lawrence Williams, Reid Triegaard, Keith Dass, Roger Matroos, Shane Phillips, Basil Booysen, Angelo del Fava, Malcolm Stevens, Ishaam Vengadajellum, Bevan Bennett, Hubert Oliphant, Kurt Vengadajellum, Jason van Zyl, Lance Casoojee, Price Patrick Beukes.
Soccer: Bridget Athiemulam, Dicky Naidoo, Billy Goodford, Daniel Jekels, Shaun Moodley, Tommy Morris, Reggy Moodley, Ronnie Vengadajellum, Subryne Pillay, Rex Gamiet, Roy Moodley, Jan Draghoender, Larry Poovan, Peter Naidoo, Patrick Lottering, Zola Dunywa, Westley Pretorius, Peter du Plessis, Malcolm Francis, Byron Klaasen, Selwyn Young, Denzil Klaasen, Alistair Abrahams, Peter Saville, Gavin Moonieyan.
Swimming: Keenan Schalkwyk, John van der Walt, Burton Brown, Lillian Lawrence, Mornè Booysen
Boxing: Peter Shelton. Tennis: John William Klaasen, Jacob Klaasen.
Cricket: Johny van Heerden, Ali June Christoffels, Colin Wilson, Ivan Bennett, Glen de Wett, Lance Appollis, Reginald Barry, Mark Fredericks.
Table tennis: Dawne Fortuin. Road running: Doran Fritz, Gregory Minnie, Jeniel Smit, Michael Blignaut.
Rugby: Thobile Mtya, Willy Fredericks, Newton Kennedy, Clarence Kennedy, David Ruiters.
Pool: Shane Lai Wing, Henry Jordaan, Edward Johnson, Lucran Latola, Leroy Theron.
Volleyball: Barbara Willard, Urshula Campbell, Colleen Jansen.