Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
08 May 2018 Photo Reg Caldecott
Yet another victory for Kesa
Kesa Molotsane crossing the line at the second Spar women’s challenge in Port Elizabeth on Saturday morning. She also won the first race in March.

Kesa Molotsane, ace distance runner of the University of the Free State (UFS) continued her rich vein of form on Saturday (May 5) by registering yet another win.

Molotsane coasted to victory in the Spar women’s 10km challenge in Port Elizabeth. Her winning time was 33:46 minutes, 15 seconds ahead of rival and reigning South African cross-country champion, Glenrose Xaba.

Molotsane also reigned supreme in the first race towards the end of March in Cape Town in a time of 34:10. There are six races in total and last year Molotsane was crowned the overall champion in which she achieved her personal best of 32:59.

Just a week before, the 26-year-old smashed the national student record in the 10000m by a massive three minutes and five seconds at the University Sport South Africa champs. The record now stands at 34:49.16.

She was one of two Kovsies to walk away with two gold medals (in the 5000m and 10000m).

“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and I couldn’t run according to my original plan. It was only at about 5km that I really felt I was in the race. I’m a fighter and at 7km I felt I had to go for it,” Molotsane said about Saturday’s race.

8108 runners entered the 10km challenge and the 5km fun run.

According to Molotsane she is struggling to juggle her track running, cross-country and Spar races.

“I’m trying to qualify for the 5000m at the African championships. I still want to do all three disciplines, although I will eventually have to decide on one.”

News Archive

Outstanding UFS alumni celebrated at annual award ceremony
2016-11-08

Description: Alumni awards 2016 Tags: Alumni awards 2016

Justice Mahube Molemela, Justice Ian van der Merwe
and Tanya Calitz.

The annual Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony was presented by the Office of Institutional Advancement on 5 November 2016, at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus. The prestigious awards recognise outstanding achievements of UFS alumni provincially, nationally and internationally. These are alumni who have not only placed the university on the world stage but have inspired the next generation of Kovsies and their communities at large.

“I am proud of this year’s award recipients and it is an honour to recognise them for the contributions they make,” said Justice Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council, at the ceremony. “With these awards, the university wants to strengthen its bond and replenish its connection with alumni, showcase their achievements, and inspire other alumni and students to achieve in their respective fields,” Justice van der Merwe said.

For the first time, the Young Alumnus of the Year Award was presented, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of alumni who have graduated within the past decade. The recipient of the award, Tanya Calitz, Research Lawyer at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, said in her acceptance speech: “At Kovsies you arrive as a student and leave as a critical thinker and leader.”

The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Justice Mahube Molemela, Chancellor of the Central University of Technology and Judge President of the Free State High Court. “I accept this award with humility and appreciation from this esteemed institution. It is moments like these that we as alumni should reflect on what we can do to contribute to the excellence of the UFS,” said Justice Molemela.

More awards were presented to alumni in the following categories:
•    Rolene Strauss, former Miss World and student at the UFS.
•    Wayde van Niekerk, current world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion in the 400 metres, and student at the UFS.

Cum Laude Award:
•    Neil Powell, Coach of Blitzbokke that won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2016.
•    Professor Eunice Seekoe, Acting Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences, and leader in Health Science professional training.
•    Gary Stroebel, CEO of Central Media Group and visionary media pioneer.

Executive Management Award:
•    Anna Botha (Tannie Ans), coach and mentor of Wayde van Niekerk.
•    Anton Esterhuyse, musical director, composer, arranger, producer, and performer.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept