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18 July 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Gauta Mokati
The men’s football team from the University of the Free State will be captained by Gauta Mokati. He led the South African Student team at last year’s CUCSA (Confederation of University and College Sports Association) Games.

The coach of the men’s football team is hoping that their ability to adapt to a new game plan, if required, will stand them in good stead during the upcoming Varsity Football tournament.

The Kovsies are back in Varsity Football after five years, thanks to their performance at last year’s USSA championship where they finished sixth.

They will feature in the opening match on 25 July 2019, a fixture played at Shimla Park that will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

“In the Free State Motsepe Cup, we were one of the youngest teams. Now we intend to use the experience we have gained to benefit us in the Varsity Football competition. We can play a physical game and a technical game, as well as a combination of both,” said coach Godfrey Tenoff.

“We had a lot of high-pressure matches in the past two years to prepare us. Although the team is young, they have actually been exposed through various competitions.”

The UFS team received a favourable draw, playing four of their seven matches at home. Two of those opponents, the Tshwane University of Technology (22 August) and the University of Johannesburg (29 August), made last year’s semi-final. The UFS have a score to settle with UJ, who knocked them out in the semi-final in 2014.

“We need to give the crowd something to believe in. Once the crowd see the intent and passion, they can rally behind us. The most important thing is to play with confidence for each other, for the team, and for the badge. The crowd will appreciate that.”

News Archive

Van Niekerk shines in Ostrava and breaks 300 m world record
2017-06-29

Description: Van Niekerk shines in Ostrava  Tags: Van Niekerk shines in Ostrava

Wayde van Niekerk is in great form leading up to the
World Championships in London in August.
Photo: Khothatso Mokone

Usain Bolt believes Wayde van Niekerk could well be his successor. Bolt, who has won eight Olympic and 11 world gold medals in his career, doesn’t doubt that the Kovsie athlete could take over the reins as an athletic superstar.

This after Van Niekerk broke another world record by Michael Johnson – 30.85 seconds in the 300 m which Johnson set in Pretoria in 2000 – at the IAAF Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on 28 June 2017. He took the honours in the 300 m in a time of 30.81 seconds. In 2016, Van Niekerk also improved on Johnson’s 400 m world record (43.18 s) with a time of 43.03 s at the Rio Olympics.

Unique honour over four distances
Because the 300 m event is not run very often, the record will be regarded as the world’s best by the IAAF. According to the IAAF, the 24-year-old Van Niekerk is now also the first man to run a sub-10 for the 100 m, sub-20 for 200 m, sub-31 for 300 m, and sub-44 for 400 m.

The legendary Bolt, who is in his final season, admitted that Van Niekerk could take over from him. “I think he really wants to be a sprinter, because he's set a personal best in the 100 m this year,” he said to AFP.

“He's shown that he's ready for the challenge. He's really down to earth, he's really humble, he's a great person. He listens and wants to be good, and if he continues like this he'll take over track and field."

Great run prior to Czech Republic
The 300 m world record follows after Van Niekerk also ran a personal best time of 9.94 in the 100 m in Velenje, Slovenia, on 20 June 2017. The 400 m world record-holder also became the South African record-holder in the 200 m again when ran a 19.84 in the 200 m at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica, on 11 June 2017.

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