Phatutshedzo Maswanganyi, SA’s new sprint sensation
Fresh from breaking the South African Junior 100m record, the athlete from Soweto has a bright future ahead of him on a sports scholarship in the US, where he will be coached by Olympic royalty.
Sport
Centre of world boxing lies in the east of London
Boxing has been relentlessly Americanised inside and outside the ring. But its heart – and its past, present and future – beats with Britishness from deep in London’s East End.
Long Read | Life-saving football in Rwanda genocide
Eric Eugène Murangwa was almost killed during the Rwandan genocide. His status as a Rayon Sports goalkeeper saved him, which is why he now uses football as a vehicle for reconciliation.
Lukhanyo Am tackles his worst fears
The Sharks captain started the year as a world champion, his challenge to lead the Durban franchise to Super Rugby glory. But Covid-19 had other ideas, forcing Am to contemplate a grim new reality.
Burundi football scores amid dearth of matches
Burundi’s Primus Ligue is much more than an antidote for supporters who suffer from football withdrawal following the suspension of most leagues during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The time for Odion Ighalo is now
The Nigerian forward is living his dream, playing a starring role for Manchester United – the club he grew up supporting. But there were many rivers to cross to get there.
Caster Semenya: ‘I try to do crazy stuff’
The two-time Olympic gold medalist is showing her impressive range by shifting to sprint events while she fights World Athletics to run the 800m without taking hormone-suppressing medication.
Wayde van Niekerk, the eternal underdog
Injury saw the Olympic champion dubbed an underdog going into the race he won in record-breaking fashion in Rio. But it’s a position he knows well, and now he has an extra year to heal and train.
How SA sportspeople in Europe are handling lockdown
South African sportspeople are using the Covid-19 lockdowns to bond with their families, refine other talents and take time out for introspection.
SA swimmers adjust as Olympics is postponed
Tatjana Schoenmaker and Zane Waddell share how they are handling uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games by a year.
The making of an African tennis champion
The singular vision behind the Anthony Harris Tennis Academy means giving South Africa’s young talent an equal opportunity to excel, irrespective of background or financial means.
The rebirth of Keagan Buchanan
The Maritzburg United midfielder’s early career was stunted by injuries, but at the Team of Choice he has found his groove and had his best season yet.
Why Italian football remains racist
Italy’s Serie A league is not a hospitable place for black players, and the country’s football institutions doling out mere slaps on the wrist for racial abuse is leading to the spread of racism in the sport.
Gary Player gets top award despite apartheid role
The legendary golfer who helped prop up the apartheid regime will be awarded a prestigious prize by a president who has been accused of being a white supremacist and has made racist statements.
The women golfers leading the way in SA
Compared with the men’s game, women’s golf still lacks support, but the Duma sisters and Zethu Myeki may just be the ones to change all that and become pioneers among black female players.
Problems mar first season of women’s football league
The long-awaited national women’s league finally kicked off after years of promises, but the teething problems it has endured have dampened the excitement.
Sport in a time of coronavirus
Sport is a welcome escape from real life. But Covid-19 is spreading rapidly around the world and the communal nature of sports events, for players and fans, provides the perfect breeding ground.
Long Read | Rugby in post-colonial Zimbabwe
A look at the story of rugby in independent Zimbabwe through the Tsimba family, which produced two World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees in brothers Richard and Kennedy.
Alphonso Davies and the refugee all-stars
The Bayern Munich winger started playing football in a refugee camp in Ghana before honing his skills in Canada. He’s a credit to the country that offered him asylum, and to all children of war.
World glory on the horizon for Proteas Women
The Proteas almost beat Australia in an enthralling semifinal, but more needs to be done to support the women’s team off the field – starting with closing the massive funding gap between the countries.
Bangladesh, cricketing minnows no more
The Tiger Cubs roared to glory at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, evidence of the changing landscape of the sport as new cricketing nations challenge the status quo.