On your marks, get set, go! The race is on to find South Africa’s best letter writer and with the theme “write a letter to an athlete or sports figure you admire to explain what the Olympics means to you” it is set to be a tight race.

Thirteen year old Anita Zenani from the Velohaya BMX team in Khayelitsha is a champion BMX rider who has represented South Africa at two BMX World Championships. In 2010 she was ranked 6^th internationally in her age division.  Anita has entered the SA Post Office letter writing competition and has written a letter to her hero, 2008 BMX Olympian Sifiso Nhlapho, about her Olympic dreams and credits taking part in sport to changing her life.

“I met Sifiso at the 2010 UCI World Champs. He is my hero because he never gives up, even when he is injured,” she says. Zenani has put her voice behind the competition and will be visiting schools in the area to encourage children to take part in the competition in an attempt to increase awareness for sport and promote literacy.

“I want to encourage children from the community to participate in sport because sport will give them something to do after school and make them want to achieve more in life. It also helps you to focus on good things and teaches you about teamwork and taking care of yourself and others.”

Anita was introduced to BMX riding by the Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy which is based in Khayelitsha. The project was co-founded in 2003 by former postman, Amos Ziqubu, with a focus on providing children from under resourced communities educational based cycling programmes, not only focusing on sports but teaching life skills and providing educational support as well. Since inception Velokhaya has afforded many cyclists from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to compete on national and international level.

The South African Post Office (SA Post Office) is inviting scholars up to the age of 15 to take part in the 41^st International Letter Writing Competition. The theme for this year’s competition coincides with 2012’s biggest sporting spectacular, the Olympic Games.

 Entries close on the 31^st March 2012 and entry forms are available from www.postoffice.co.za  for any questions about the competition teachers and parents can contact Nancy Moetlo on 012 649 6554

New rugby coach Heyneke Meyer, promised South Africa and its fanatical supporters only the best will count. Speaking after formally being appointed by SA Rugby Union (SARU), Meyer was at pains to emphasize the importance of the whole nation standing behind him and the Springbok team. “I want this team to be the team of the people, and for everyone to embrace the Springboks.”  SARU’s CEO Jurie Roux, indicated people should celebrate Peter de Villiers contribution to rugby and at an n appropriate time the rugby family will acknowledge his services to the sport.

At the time of writing, the Cobras with 3 matches, including 2 home games, to play in the 4-day series, looks set to retain the Supersport trophy they won last year.  In what has at times been a tough year with all the national call-ups, the consistency of the senior players, Justin Ontong, Dane Vilas and Rory Kleinveldt, among others, have been both pleasing and refreshing. The 4 day competition reaches its climax at the end of February.

J&B Final Field – To be run on 28 January 2012, Kenilworth Racecourse

Horse                                     Jockey                        Trainer

1 BRAVURA                           A Marcus                    Joey Ramsden

2 THE APACHE                      R Danielson               Gavin van Zyl

3 TALES OF BRAVERY          M Byleveld                 Vaughan Marshall

4 ILSANPIETRO                     W Marwing               Mike de Kock

5 LION IN WINTER               G Hatt                         Joey Ramsden

6  SMANJEMANJE                  *G van Niekerk                      Tyrone Zackey

7  CASK                                                                       S H Page

8  FABIANI                             S Cormack                  Glen Kotzen

9  SUPER STORM                   K Neisius                    Mike Bass

10  CHESALON                                  K Teetan                     Mike Bass

11  RUN FOR IT                     B Fayd’Herbe                        Justin Snaith

12  IGUGU                              A Delpech                   Mike de Kock

13  EMERALD COVE             F Coetzee                   Justin Snaith

14  BEACH BEAUTY              A Forbes                    Dennis Drier

15  GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT   P Strydom               Justin Snaith

16  ASTRO NEWS                  R Fourie                     Greg Ennion

Couplings: (1,5) (4,12) (9,10) (11,13,15)

Rugby: ABSA Currie Cup Final

MTN Lions 42 – 16 Sharks

In an epic final, not seen since the days of Naas Botha, the MTN Lions beat the Sharks to win the coveted Currie Cup after a barren spell of 12 years. The old adage of a team been bigger than an individual was no better illustrated than on Saturday as Lions hunted as pack. This was a team of destiny makers as they relentless when about their business on the field. There were no stand-out performers, though the name of Elton Jantjies needs to etch in as player for the future. On this season alone, the MTN Lions thoroughly deserved their victory and let’s see if other teams will adopt a fresh approach to the competition next year. The tried and trusted formula of years gone by is long gone.

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Cricket: SuperSport Series (4 day matches)

Nashua Titans v Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras

Cobras won by an innings and 46 runs.

After 3 series of rounds the Cobras are well place to be competitive and stand an even chance to retain the trophy they won last year. Thus far, every player has contributed either via bat or ball, which augurs well for the more testing matches particularly against the Chevrolet Warriors (Free State boys).

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Football: PSL ABSA Premiership

Santos 2 – 1 Maritzburg Unt

Moroka Swallows 3 – 2 Ajax Cape Town

Kaizer Chiefs 1 – 0 Platinum Stars

Jomo Cosmos 1 – 2 Orlando Pirates

In a scrappy affair, Santos managed to beat Maritzburg courtesy of an own goal, Moroka Swallows wings keep on flying higher as they make steady progress on the log as they ran out 3-2 winners against Ajax, another dent for the club’s league ambitions, Kaizer Chiefs bundled out of the Telkom Cup by Platinum Stars, got sweet revenge with a narrow but deserved victory while Orlando Pirates sneak past Jomo Cosmos with a goal in stoppage time. 

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Football: Barclays English Premier League

Stoke 1 – 3 Newcastle

Tottenham 3 – 1 QPR

Man City 3 -1 Wolverhampton

Everton 0 – 1 Man Utd

Chelsea 3 – 5 Arsenal

Not a league for the faint-hearted, as Arsenal demonstrated with a demolition job on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, normally a fortress for the home team. Robbie van Persie is currently in hot form and the other strikers will have to hit their straps if they want to catch him in the goal scorer’s chart. Further down on London, Tottenham overcame a plucky QPR side, while Manchester City though not in full gear, eased past Wolves, Everton bit the dust against Manchester United by a solo goal and the Stoke suffer a rare home defeat against Newcastle, who surprisingly is still unbeaten.

MELISSA NEL

With manpower always being a problem, volunteers for school sport play a vital role in a child’s life, says Graham Hector, teacher and rugby coach at Bergsig Primary School. This coordinator for rugby says though the rugby season ends this month, the facilitators of JAG Rugby still continue training the children for pre-season. JAG Rugby is a development initiative in Cape Town, South Africa, committed to providing youth with a sense of achievement through rugby while building a culture of dignity.

Brent Williams

Brent Williams (22) of Grahamstown is a volunteer for JAG rugby at Bergsig Primary.  He says though he applied to coach at different schools around Stellenbosch where he studies, he didn’t get any offers. “That was very depressing. I played a squash match for Maties one night and my opponent (from Wynberg) and I started chatting. He told my ‘bout JAG, hooked me up with Elana Meyer… That’s how I got involved with Jag Rugby!

It brings much joy in my heart to be involved with young kids in the sporting field!”  Through Jag Rugby he did a course on kids’ safety, called Boksmart, and his IRB level 1 in rugby coaching. Currently Brent is studying sports management. “I don’t get paid, but having the kids asking advice, and you giving them the knowledge you have are great. Seeing them implementing what you taught them brings much joy to me.  “‎I just believe you must share your passion. There are those who don’t have the chance that you have. You can be their chance in life.”

Bishop Lavis vs Kuils River
Saturday Oct. 8

Bishop Lavis 149/8 ( Earl Abrahams 46* , Clinton du Preez 20 , Adrain Roberts 16 )
Kuils River 137/7 ( Paul Hendricks 2/22 , Jude Erendson 2/28 )

Lavis won by 12 runs.

Bishop Lavis vs Wynberg
Sunday Oct. 9

Bishop Lavis 170/4 ( Earl Abrahams 64* , Clinton du Preez 27 , Cheslyn Roberts 18 )

Wynberg 78 ( Paul Hendricks 3/25 , Adrian Roberts 2/2 , Gamied Salie 2/9 , Ruqeno Weavers 1/8 , Jude Erendson 1/12 )

Lavis won by 82 runs.

Box Scores

Athlone     1 0 4 4 0 0 2 0 0 = 11

Westridge 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 =  4

Coach Neil Adonis' debut for A's Neil and Adrian Morris.

Pitching

Athlone   Starter – Lloyd Stevens    – 4 Innings(Inn), 3 Hits(H), 1 Base on Balls (BB) and 1 Earned Run (ER)

              Closer – Carl Michaels           – 1 Inn, 0 H, O BB, 3 K

Westridge used 4 pitchers Veon Rix, Clayton Manuel, Jason Ripepi and Alistair Veale who between themselves conceded 9 BB.

Hitting

Athlone Faizel Moosa batted 3 for 5 with 3 Runs Batted In (RBI’s)

Both teams commited 4 errors

MELISSA NEL

Local runners who plan to take on the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday November 6 this year, challenges people to join them in their plight to show awareness to Cerebral Palsy and investing in education.

Irafaan Abrahams plans to raise R1 million for schools in the province in the NY Marathon.

Hillary Lane, CEO of the Western Cape Cerebral Palsy Association did not start walking until she was nearly five years old. She says she will walk the 42^nd race in America to show ‘we are not defined by our dis-abilities but rather by our abilities.’

Irafaan Abrahams, a teacher at Rocklands Secondary School  in Mitchells Plain aims to raise R1 million for education in the Western Cape.

Lane only started training in January and this will be the first race she enters. “As weeks went by, I found I could walk further and that I was beginning to feel really good physically.” Each disabled participant has a volunteer alongside them. Hillary’s son Matthew, who lives in London, is her volunteer.

Abrahams, known as ‘Vinnige Fanie’ teach in an area fraught with unemployment, crime, drug and alcohol abuse. He says these circumstances should only push educators to help improve the lives of learners. “With this project, not only am I achieving my dream, but by sowing the seed, I may be giving future generations a tree of opportunities to achieve their dreams,” he said.

The idea is to get learners from ten local schools to collect R100 000 in sponsorship. All learners will be issued with a sponsorship card which will be illustrated with 43 blocks. Each block represents a kilometre that Irafaan will complete in the race. Each learner will be able to raise R215 for their school.