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14 August 2020 | Story Anban Naidoo | Photo Charl Devenish

Students returning for the second semester should take note of the following important dates. Also note that the online self-service facility for module changes and additions will be available until 11 September 2020. If you are unable to register online and need assistance with changes to your registration, please contact your relevant faculty for academic advice/approval.

Important second-semester dates:

• 31 July 2020: Predicate day
• 3 August 2020: Main mid-year examination commences
• 22 August 2020: Main mid-year examination ends
• 22 August 2020: Final date to submit final marks for module with continuous assessment
• 24 August 2020: Mid-year additional examination commences
• 27 August 2020: Mid-year additional examination ends
• 28 to 31 August 2020: UFS long weekend (no academic activity)
• 1 September 2020: Second semester commences
• 1 September 2020: Second-semester registration commences (Faculty of Health Sciences)
• 2 September 2020: Final date to transfer marks for the first semester (excluding Faculty of Health Sciences)
• 3 September 2020: Second-semester registration commences (all faculties, excluding Health Sciences)
• 3 September 2020: Mid-year additional examination ends
• 10 September 2020: Final date to transfer marks for the first semester (only Faculty of Health Sciences)
• 11 September 2020: Second-semester registration ends
• 11 September 2020: Last date to cancel year modules and second-semester modules with financial credit
• 24 to 27 September: 2020: UFS long weekend
• 30 September 2020: Last date for master’s and doctoral students to register for the second semester
• 30 October to 2 November 2020: UFS long weekend
• 27 November 2020: Second-semester classes ends
• 30 November 2020 to 18 December 2020: Main Examinations
• January 2021 to 16 January 2021: Additional Examinations


News Archive

Kovsie trailblazing track runner sets South African 200 m record
2015-07-16

Photo: IAAF

Wayde van Niekerk became the only South African, and the fourth athlete in the world, to clock sub-20-seconds in a 200 m race on Tuesday 14 July 2015. With this winning time, he became the fourth member of the prestigious quartet, consisting of Michael Johnson, LaShawn Merritt, Isaac Makwala and himself.

The Kovsie gold medallist’s ground-breaking performance saw him beat world-class 200 m specialist and last year's Diamond League race winner, Alonso Edward of Panama.  Van Niekerk crossed the finish line half a metre ahead of Edward, who was followed by Fujmitsu Kenji of Japan in the third place.

Van Niekerk's 19.94-time at the Diamond League meeting in Lucerne (Switzerland) set a national record, and improved on his personal best. In 2010, he claimed the World Junior Championship title in Moncton, Canada, by covering 200 m in 21.02 seconds.

Recently, he made history by defeating the London 2012 Olympic Games champion, Kirani James, of Grenada in the Caribbean.

On 4 July 2015, he surged 0.79 seconds ahead of Kirani in his number five lane, becoming the first African to cover 400m in less than 44 seconds. The Kovsie student won the race at 43.96, occupying 10th place on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League all-time list.

Kovsies were still celebrating the gold medalist’s South African record-setting time of 44.24 on 13 June 2015 when he dominated the Diamond League meeting. At the previous race in New York, Van Niekerk improved on his own national record of 44.38. With an impressive dash to the finish line at that particular event, he surpassed Christopher Brown’s 400 m record.

In addition to the country’s record, Van Niekerk made his name as one of the continent’s record-breakers. On 7 June 2015, he broke the 1986 African 300 m record. Van Niekerk replaced Ivorian Gabriel Tiacoh’s best time of 31.74 with a 31.63 championship win at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting.  Simultaneously, he bettered Morné Nagel’s 2006 South African national record.

Following his outstanding performance, he was positioned in 10th place on the world list in the men’s 300 m.

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