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UFS alumnus and Blitzboks claim another Commonwealth gold

04 August 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied

Hard work does not necessarily guarantee success, but it is part of success.

According to Neil Powell, the Blitzboks head coach, this is what his players showed by turning the team’s recent misfortunes into Commonwealth Games gold.

The South African sevens side rewarded the University of the Free State (UFS) alumnus – who will be parting ways with the team next month – by claiming another Games top spot.

The decorated coach steered his troops to a gold medal in Birmingham, England, after defeating Fiji by an impressive 31-7 in the final late on Sunday evening.

Powell and the Blitzboks also won Commonwealth gold in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014.

After nine successful years with the Blitzboks, the former Kovsie will become the new Director of Rugby at the Sharks in September 2022. His last sevens tournament will be the World Cup from 9 to 11 September 2022 in Cape Town.

Reset and rewarded

The Blitzboks, however, did not go into the Commonwealth Games as favourites, as they struggled in the last four HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournaments.

After winning the first four tournaments of the season, they failed to reach the semi-finals in Singapore, Vancouver, Toulouse, and London.

“After the World Series tournament in London, we had to reset and re-evaluate our goals for the rest of the season and the last three tournaments, the Commonwealth Games, the Los Angeles Sevens, and finally the Rugby World Cup Sevens,” Powell said in a SA Rugby media release.

“The guys really worked hard in the build-up to this tournament, and I’m glad they got rewarded for it.”

Memories from Glasgow Games

In 2016, Powell received a Cum Laude Award at the UFS Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards when the Blitzboks won Olympic bronze in Rio de Janeiro.

Powell represented the Cheetahs, Sharks, Griquas, Blue Bulls, and Blitzboks in his playing days and is one of 28 national sevens players produced by the UFS.

“It’s amazing to have won the gold medal again, like we did eight years ago in Glasgow, and especially after we finished fourth and didn’t win a medal at the previous Commonwealth Games in Australia, so there is a lot of emotion and the victory brought back memories of what happened in Glasgow in 2014.”

He said it was important for the team’s confidence to deliver in Birmingham in order to get momentum and belief back.

Powell hopes his side can take this into the last World Series tournament in Los Angeles on 27 and 28 August 2022, and the World Cup.

South Africa are on top of the World Series log and can take the overall honours with a good LA performance.

News Archive

Dr Khotso Mokhele joins ranks of distinguished Chancellors

2010-11-21

Attending the inauguration ceremony are, from the left: Mr Pule Makgoe, MEC for Education in the Free State and member of the UFS Council; Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council; Dr Khotso Mokhele, newly inaugurated Chancellor of the UFS; and Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Dries Myburgh

Dr Khotso Mokhele joined the ranks of distinguished Chancellors of the University of the Free State (UFS) with his inauguration as the new Chancellor of the institution at a ceremony on Friday, 19 November 2010.

The lustrous ceremony took place on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein and was attended by hundreds of guests from all over South Africa.

Dr Mokhele said in his speech: “I am excited to have been invited by the UFS to join its community at the time when it is attempting to reinvent itself into an institution that will be counted amongst those that will shape the local, regional, national will, and by so doing, contribute to the shaping of an African will.”

Dr Mokhele follows in the footsteps of Dr Franklin Sonn, former Ambassador of South Africa in the United States of America and receiver of many awards, acknowledgements, and honorary doctorates, who retired earlier this year. Dr Sonn was preceded by Ms Winkie Direko, former premier of the Free State.

His acceptance of the role of Chancellor is a great honour for the UFS.

According to Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, it is a proud moment to welcome someone from the Province as the Chancellor of this university. With his strong academic values and deep sense of human compassion, Dr Mokhele is one of but a few uncompromising leaders. He is also an inspiring, determined pioneer and a role model to all our students.

Few have done as much to guide the development of science in South Africa since democracy in 1994 as Dr Mokhele. His vision and actions as a senior science manager have been guided by his deep conviction that for a truly democratic society to emerge in South Africa all people must be empowered to be its architects and must have unhindered access to those careers upon which our economy is built.

Dr Khotso Mokhele was born and raised in Bloemfontein. After matriculating from the Moroka High School he went on to study at Fort Hare, where he graduated with a B.Sc. in Agriculture, winning the Massey-Ferguson award for the best student in that field. As a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Scholarship, he entered the University of California in Davis where he took a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. degree, both in Microbiology. He was awarded post-doctoral fellowships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Dr Mokhele returned to South Africa in 1987, set on becoming a top-class academic and researcher. He held lecturing posts at the Universities of Fort Hare (1987-1989) and Cape Town (1990-1992). In 1992 he joined the Foundation for Research Development (FRD) as one of its Vice-Presidents. He succeeded to its presidency in 1996 and then from 1999 to 2006 became the first President of the National Research Foundation (NRF). He successfully merged the FRD and the Centre for Science Development of the Human Sciences Research Council. Under his visionary leadership the NRF has come to play a pivotal role in the development agenda of the country. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the South African Academy of Sciences serving as its founder president (1996-1998).

Dr Khotso Mokhele's contribution to science in South Africa has received wide recognition locally and abroad. He has received nine honorary doctorates. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the President of France in recognition of his personal efforts in strengthening scientific ties between France and South Africa, and was appointed a director of the Salzburg Seminar, an institution focused on global change, and subsequently a member of its Council of Senior Fellows.

He also serves on the boards of major companies such as Implats, Adcock Ingram and Afrox.

Complete speech (Pdf)

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za19 November 2010

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