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22 February 2018 Photo Supplied
Tennis team countrys fourth-best
The Kovsies first tennis team is from left Cornelius Rall, Lienke de Kock, Reze Opperman and Arne Nel (captain).

The first tennis team of the University of the Free State (UFS) obtained a respectable fourth place at the Top Guns Club event that finished at Sun City on Monday 19 February 2018.

It was the first time the tournament was held where all the provincial tennis champs competed for the honours as national club champions.

The Kovsie team was represented by Cornelius Rall, Lienke de Kock, Reze Opperman and Arne Nel. Arne a veteran who has played for the first team for six years, led the team. They played as men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles with optional rotation at the end of each set.

The round robin matches consisted out of three full short sets. Thus, the first team to four games, by a margin of two would win the set.

Student crown to defend
The Free State students topped their pool with three wins from three encounters.

Victories came against Lapésa Tennis Club of the Northern Cape, Wesbank from Eden and Cradock from Eastern Province, all by 3-0.

It set up an encounter with Camps Bay from the Western Cape in the semi-finals which the Kovsies lost by 1-2.

In the play-off for third and fourth place the students came unstuck against Marks Park Tennis Club from Gauteng Central.

The Kovsies will next be in action from 13 to 16 April 2018 again in Sun City in a university challenge tournament which they have won for the previous two years.

They boast an outstanding record in student competitions, having won the University Sport South Africa (Ussa) the last eight years consecutively.

News Archive

Two from UFS heading for Rio
2016-07-18

Description: Rynhardt_Rio Tags: Rynhardt_Rio

The 800 m athlete from the University of the
Free State, Rynhardt van Rensburg, will soon
take part in his first Olympic Games in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Photo: Varsity Sports / Wessel Oosthuizen

It is the cherry on top for any sportsman or sportswoman. This is what DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport, has to say about two athletes from the University of the Free State (UFS) being included in the South African team for the Olympic Games.

He says the officials and coaches at KovsieSport are extremely proud of Rynhardt van Rensburg (800 m) and Wayde van Niekerk (400 m). Although they qualified earlier, their names were read out on 14 July 2016 as part of the team of 137 athletes that will participate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August.

In the footsteps of other UFS stars

They follow in the footsteps of former Kovsies like Leslé-Ann George (women’s hockey), Kate Roberts (triathlon), Johan Cronjé (1 500 m), and Frantz Kruger (discus), who represented South Africa at previous Olympics. Apart from these two, four former Kovsies were also included in the team for Rio. They are the Sevens Springbok Philip Snyman, Sevens coach Neil Powell, Chris Dednam as badminton coach and Roberts as team manager of the triathletes. Dednam also competed as a player at the Olympics. Ans Botha, the UFS sprint coach, will also accompany Van Niekerk.

“It is a highlight for any sportsman or sportswoman to be part of the Olympic Games. It is, for example, the same as it is for others to participate in a World Cup,” says Prinsloo.

Description: Wayde2_Rio Tags: Wayde2_Rio

Wayde van Niekerk

Van Niekerk shows mettle on birthday

Prinsloo is very happy for Van Rensburg, since the 24-year-old athlete has been injured for a long time and had to regain his form. On 24 June 2016, he won a bronze medal at the African Championships in Durban in a time of 1:46.15.

Prinsloo feels that Van Niekerk and Caster Semenya (800 m) are great contenders for medals in Rio. Van Niekerk, who celebrated his 24th birthday on 15 July 2016, continued his good preparation for the Olympics by trouncing his rivals on his birthday at a Diamond League event in Monaco in a time of in 44.12.

 

“It is a highlight for any sportsman or
sportswoman to be part of the Olympic Games.”










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