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Four universities to walk 200 000 km in ten weeks

12 April 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Charl Devenish

“May the best team win the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge!” said LJ van Zyl, Pedometer Challenge ambassador.

Participants in the 2019 BestMed Pedometer Challenge will start improving their health step by step after the University of the Free State (UFS) challenged the Stellenbosch University, Central University of Technology, and North-West University (NWU) to an eight-week walking competition.

South African 400-metre hurdles record-holder and the Pedometer Challenge ambassador, LJ van Zyl, embraced the initiative as an alternative method to achieve fitness. “I am so tired of running and this is great way to stay fit,” he said during the official launch on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 5 April 2019.

Inter-institutional fight for fitness

Last year, the UFS Division for Organisational Development and Employment Wellness in the Department of Human Resources led a UFS-only challenge that saw 60 teams of staff members log a total of 54 606 km in eight weeks. The division then challenged the NWU.

Together, the NWU and UFS walked 132 000 km. This year, the UFS is taking it one step further by challenging two more institutions.

Leading the way

“We aim to get South Africa active – starting with the UFS – by embracing fitness and health ourselves,” said Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Wellness Specialist.

Participants on all fitness and activity levels will gun for a 200 000 km target over 10 weeks.

The challenge kicked off on the Bloemfontein Campus with a 3-km walk at the launch, leaving 199 997 km between the four universities for the rest of the eight-week challenge.

News Archive

Karla’s name appears on match balls in 2016 again

2015-10-22

She was not destined to reach and win a third Varsity Netball title in 2015, but Karla Mostert still managed to end her last series on a high note.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Netball captain was named Player of the Tournament for the second consecutive year on Monday 19 October 2015.

Therefore, her name will still appear on the balls for the 2016 Varsity Netball series. Mostert, who due to her age will not be eligible to play in the series next year, was also Player of the Tournament last year, with her name appearing on the balls this year. All 31 games during 2015 were played with balls adorned with her name.

This is a consolation prize to Kovsies, as they lost unexpectedly against Pukke by 48-56 in the semi-finals played in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 12 October 2015. Pukke won the series for the first time on Monday 19 October 2015, when they thrashed Maties 50-37 in Stellenbosch.

The 25-year-old Mostert, whose nickname is Chits, has been a great stalwart for Kovsies over the years, and has had many successes with the team. She was also named as the Brutal Fruit Player of the Tournament earlier this year.

The Protea player, who was one of South Africa’s stars during the 2015 World Cup, will be playing netball for Bath in England next year, together with Lenize Potgieter.

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