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03 June 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Charl Devenish
Student Games
Four students from the University of the Free State were chosen for the South African Student team to the World Student Games in July 2019. They are from the left: Heinrich Willemse (tennis), Yolandi Stander (athletics), Ruben Kruger (tennis) and Tyler Beling (athletics).
Exactly half of the South African student tennis team to the World Student Games (3 to 14 July 2019 in Italy), together with one of the coaches and the team manager, hails from the University of the Free State (UFS).

Tennis players off to the games

The Kovsie tennis club has been richly rewarded for their dominance at student level when the national student team was chosen. They have won the University Sport South Africa (USSA) championship every year since 2010.

Ruben Kruger and Heinrich Willemse are two of the four team members, and UFS coach Marnus Kleinhans is one of the two coaches of the student team. Janine de Kock, team manager of the UFS, will also fulfil this role in the student team. 

Willemse and Kruger are currently the university’s number one and two players respectively and were members of the UFS team at last year’s USSA competition.

Two athletes also made the team. Tyler Beling will compete in the half-marathon and Yolandi Stander in the discus. They both won gold medals at the USSA championships in April 2019. Emmarie Fouché from KovsieSport is one of the athletics coaches. 

Tenoff to couch SA men’s team

Godfrey Tenoff, a sports manager at KovsieSport and head coach of the UFS men’s and female soccer teams, will coach the SA Students men’s team.

Two members of the swimming team are part of Kovsie Aquatics. Eben Vorster, who is studying overseas, swims for the UFS club when he is in South Africa. Marco Markgraaff, coach of the club, will act as the head coach of the SA student swimmers.

News Archive

UFS congratulates Wayde van Niekerk and other students for their national and international accomplishments
2015-09-17



Kovsies showing the world that success is inevitable
Photo: Johan Roux

Students from the University of the Free State (UFS) have not only conquered South Africa (SA), they have also left footprints in the world. During 2014 and 2015, our students have performed well in various fields.

A special celebratory event was held at the Bloemfontein Campus on Tuesday 15 September 2015. Members of the Rectorate, Student Representative Council (SRC), Grey College Secondary School personnel and former principal, Mr Johan Volsteedt, as well as UFS staff members and students gathered at the Callie Human Centre to congratulate those students who have recently represented the university with excellence atnational and global levels. Also present were representatives from the Department of Sports Arts Culture and Recreation (SACR) in the Free State and the Free State Sport Confederation (FSSC).

Sports leadership has proven to be one of Kovsies’ areas of expertise. From Wayde van Niekerk making international headlines as the 2015 Men’s 400m World Sprint Champion, to Nicole Walraven who was named as the SA under-21 Hockey 2015 Player of the Year, speaks the language of winners.

Wayde believes that his achievements are also for his family, friends, mentors, and the university community to rejoice in.“What I achieved is our achievement,” he said “the person I am today is because of the people around me.” Also supporting him at this event was MsAns Botha, his coach together with his family and friends.

Andricia Hinckemann’s commitment to promote environmental sustainability in light of the global warming crisis earned her the Miss Earth SA 2015 second princess status.

The UFS Debating Society also joined the ranks as highfliers when announced as South African National Universities Debating Champions for 2015. The UFS team competed in nine preliminary rounds. Devon Watson and NkahisengRalepeli from the UFS had to fight their way through nine preliminary rounds to the finals. Competing in the category English as a First Language, Devon and Nkahiseng brought yet another championship title home.

Success is music to our ears here at Kovsies, Veritas and Marjolein showed us that music can also symbolize success. These residence serenade groups took first and second place, respectively, at the 2015 ATKV National University Sêr competition.

Other students who have the world in their hands and are striving to make it a better place include Rolene Strauss (Miss World 2015), Elzane van der Berg (Deaf Miss South Africa 2014), the Shimlas (2015 Varsity Cup champions),KovsieNetball (2014 Varsity Netball champions and winners of 2014 National Premier League), KovsieTennis (2014 USSA Champions) and Varsity Sevens Champions 2015.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the university remarked upon the inevitable nature of success amongst our university’s students. “Whether they are in athletics, netball, or debating, Kovsie students do well in every aspect of their lives.”

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