Limpopo fencers shine at national championships
POLOKWANE – The Fencing Federation of South Africa hosted the Senior National Championships in Midrand on May 3 and 4, where top fencers from across the country competed for national titles in the épée, foil and sabre categories.
Despite facing financial constraints, Limpopo fielded a small but determined team of nine senior fencers.
The delegation included five athletes from the Sello Maduma Fencing Academy (SMFA), three from the University of Limpopo (UL) Fencing Club, and one from Firebirds Fencing Club.
'Despite the small team, Limpopo made a big impact,' said Renuka Ramroop, veteran fencer and chairperson of the Limpopo Fencing Association.
Leading the team was SMFA's Rahul van Manen, who delivered a standout performance by earning three medals across all three disciplines.
Van Manen, ranked third nationally in senior men's épée heading into the championships, won silver in a tightly contested final – narrowly losing by a single point to South Africa's top-ranked fencer.
This result elevates him to second place in the national rankings.
He went on to claim another silver medal in the senior men's foil, defending the gold he won earlier this year in Gqeberha.
Though he narrowly missed repeating his title, his consistent performance now ranks him as the number one foil fencer in the country. He also secured a bronze medal in the sabre event, capping off an impressive all-round showing.
Ramroop said that all Limpopo athletes advanced beyond the individual pool stages and improved their national rankings, a reflection of the province's rising competitiveness.
UL fencers Katlego Matladi and Mpho Mpe fought tenaciously, while SMFA's Sebastian Austin delivered a strong performance, now ranked 10th nationally in senior men's épée.
With Van Manen at number two and Austin at number ten in the national épée rankings, Limpopo now boasts two fencers in the top 10 – a significant milestone for the province.
The female fencers also made their presence felt. Safiya Khan Patel was placed eighth in the senior women's épée and continued to show promise in the foil category.
Ramroop herself earned a bronze medal in the veterans' division and maintains her national number three ranking.
In the team event, Limpopo's Team A, comprising Matladi, Mpe, Austin and Van Manen, secured a bronze medal.
The team staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a four-point deficit in the final three minutes to win 45–43.
'Although fencing is still developing in Limpopo compared to other provinces, our athletes continue to show exceptional talent and determination. They are proving they can compete with the best and bring home medals,' Ramroop said.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
No goals, no glory: Ranga Chivaviro's numbers expose Kaizer Chiefs' recruitment flaws
A failed experiment After a difficult season where he struggled to score goals, striker Ranga Chivaviro has been released by Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Image: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Just what were Kaizer Chiefs hierarchy thinking when they sanctioned a deal to sign Ranga Chivaviro two years ago? On Wednesday, Chiefs confirmed that they had parted ways with the forward after ansuccessful season in front of goal. The Limpopo-born forward joined Amakhosi during the 2022/23 campaign, and much was expected from the man described by former Chiefs midfielder Fees Moloi as having a 'style similar to Erling Haaland', according to KickOff. Moloi, with all due respect, couldn't be more wrong. Haaland is the deadliest striker in world football and has found the back of the net a staggering 276 times in 342 senior club games. In his three years at Manchester City, he has plundered 121 goals in 142 games. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. When Haaland takes to the field, his teammates expect him to deliver every single time. To be mentioned in the same sentence as the Norwegian, a player needs to have similar stats when it comes to goal Chivaviro does not. He doesn't even come close. Chivaviro was brought to Chiefs to score goals. In the season before moving to Naturena, he scored 17 goals in all competitions for Marumo Gallants. That tally was impressive, and Kaizer Chiefs fans were excited when he was signed. They expected goals. Lots of them. Unfortunately, they didn't get that. In his first season, he found the back of the net just four times. And in the season that just ended, he scored five goals. He was brought to Chiefs to score goals, and in two seasons, he found the back of the net just nine times. That's just not good enough, and whoever did his scouting report failed to mention that his 17-goal season for Gallants was a rare anomaly. For a team wanting to return to the glory days, Chivaviro was the wrong man from the start. To win football games, you need strikers who score goals. Chiefs know this. In the past, they had the likes of Fani Madida, Marks Maponyane, Pollen Ndlanya, and Colins Mbesuma. Even sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr knew how to put the ball in the back of the net in his day. If the club want to be back among the big guns of South African football, they need to do better in terms of recruitment. The next player they bring in needs to have a proven pedigree of scoring goals. Otherwise, they'll find themselves with a player who doesn't hit double figures in two full seasons. Kaizer Chiefs can no longer afford to gamble on strikers who might deliver. If the club are serious about reclaiming their status as a South African football powerhouse, they must adopt a ruthless, results-driven approach to recruitment. The next striker signing must arrive not with comparisons to global superstars, but with cold, hard numbers – and a track record to back them up. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to [email protected]. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs release three players, including two academy stars
Kaizer Chiefs have released striker Ranga Chivaviro and two academy talents. Could they be planning a shopping spree? 32-year-old Ranga Chivaviro only managed three goals in 18 league appearances last term. The club have deemed the 32-year-old as surplus to requirements. 'Kaizer Chiefs will not be extending striker Ranga Chivaviro's contract when it expires at the end of the month. 'The Limpopo-born attacker joined Amakhosi from Marumo Gallants in the 2023/24 season on a two-year deal. He scored nine goals and provided one assist in 45 official matches wearing Chiefs colours over two seasons.' We thank Ranga for his positive contribution to the team and wish him all the best in his future exploits,' the club said in a statement. RUMOUR: Chiefs lose out on R27 million man The Kaizer Chiefs Naturena Village in all its glory. Image: Ernest Makhaya The club has released a statement regarding the release of Sabelo Radebe. He got his first taste of senior football at the club in 2017-2028. He only had two Betway Premiership outings this season. He's only notched a total of 18 appearances for Chiefs. Meanwhile, loanee Njabulo Blom returns to St. Louis City in the United States MLS. 'Radebe, now 25, joined Amakhosi as a teenager. He progressed through the junior ranks in the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Academy before moving up to the reserve team in the 2017-18 season,' the statement read. Will you miss any of these players? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Ranga Chivaviro shown the door by Kaizer Chiefs
EXIT STAGE LEFT Kaizer Chiefs have parted ways with striker Ranga Chivaviro after his contract expiration, amid plans to beef up their strike force. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Chivaviro did not reach his full potential with Chiefs, as he struggled with injury during the 2023/2024 season. In total, Chivaviro has made 45 appearances for Chiefs while scoring nine goals. The forward joined Chiefs in June 2023, and the club chose not to extend his two-year contract. Kaizer Chiefs confirmed on Wednesday that Ranga Chivaviro has left the club with immediate effect. Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Kaizer Chiefs Part Ways with Striker Ranga Chivaviro 'Kaizer Chiefs will not be extending striker Ranga Chivaviro's contract when it expires at the end of the month,' said the club in a statement. 'The Limpopo-born attacker joined Amakhosi from Marumo Gallants in the 2023/24 season on a two-year deal. 'We thank Ranga for his positive contribution to the team and wish him all the best in his future exploits.' Chiefs completed another deflating season in the Betway Premiership as they ended ninth, their second league campaign in a row in which they finished outside the top eight. The goal-scoring battles of Chiefs were well-documented as they netted just 25 times in 28 matches. According to reports, Chiefs are set on securing the services of a Mamelodi Sundowns striker currently on loan. According to Soccer Laduma, Chiefs are intent on signing 23-year-old Nigerian striker Etiosa Ighodaro, who is currently on loan to AmaZulu from Sundowns. This comes after unsubstantiated rumours emerging that Orlando Pirates forward Monnapule Saleng might be making a move to Chiefs. The 27-year-old Saleng was believed to have been left out of the side for months due to a salary dispute, although the club has not confirmed this as they remain tight-lipped on the situation. @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
