Bats at the ready with gold in their sights
SOUTH Africa had no representatives in table tennis at the Rio Games, but the prospect of producing future Olympians looks bright.
Three University of KwaZuluNatal students recently returned from the Confederation of University and College Sports Association Games in Zimbabwe with gold medals.
Hilal Pillay, Preshen Naidoo and Sarah-Lee Gobindlall were part of the team which dominated those from Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The trio added to a remarkable return for Team South Africa, which walked away with 116 medals in the competition. It included sporting codes such as chess, soccer, volleyball, athletics, basketball, tennis and karate.
Naidoo, a physics masters student, said playing against Botswana posed the biggest challenge.
“I enjoyed the game against Botswana,” he said. “The first few points were tightly contested, each wining our serves. We enjoyed good rallies in the match and I was happy to win the game three sets to nil.”
It was the 26-year-old’s debut tournament in a national jersey and one he says he will not forget.
“It was a great honour to represent our country. It is a humbling experience to pull on a green and gold sweater and go out to compete.
“Being part of a team with such team spirit and togetherness was amazing. Teams from other codes came to support us when we were playing. They created an atmosphere that was unbelievable.”
After beating Zambia and Botswana, the South Africans needed to defeat the home team.
Pillay, a third year BCom student, was thrust into the crucial final game against Zimbabwe and came out on top.
“It was a really memorable game for me,” he says.
“I knew what I needed to do. When I eventually won, the feeling of my teammates picking me up off the floor was really special.”
As with Naidoo, Pillay said the support of fellow South Africans helped him over the line.
“I learnt a lot from this tournament, the most important thing being that support can go a long way,” he added.
Gobindlall, a second year physiotherapy student, was part of the dominant women’s teams.
They whitewashed all three fellow African nations.