It was a victorious moment for the Durban University of Technology (DUT) sport clubs as they clinched top positions, with athletes being selected for various sporting codes at the USSA Tournaments which took place countrywide, in December 2022, to represent DUT in the national team.
The tournaments took place at the University of Pretoria(Cricket), North West(Tennis), UKZN Westville (Aerobics), Mpumalanga (Football), Sol Plaatje (Chess), Witwatersrand (Basketball), Pietermaritzburg- Midmar Dam(Sailing) and Port Elizabeth (Beach Volleyball).
DUT athletes who had participated were victorious in the following sport codes: Aerobics, Football, Chess, Sailing, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball and Beach Volleyball.
The DUT Aerobics Club obtained second overall position at the 2022 USSA Aerobics Tournament and were the team to obtain the most medals in their categories. The club was also successful in winning a trophy as overall winners at the 3rd Annual Aerobics Event competition, last year in Pietermaritzburg, (Midmar Dam).
Ms Takalani Mfamadi: DUT Sport officer said that the combining of teams from Pietermaritzburg (Midlands Campuses) and Durban Campuses was a success because they managed to attend the Thanksgiving marathon which took place last year, in preparation for the USSA Tournament.
She further added that the only challenge they had faced was starting late with training due to the COVID-19 restrictions, and late team training had impacted the recruitment of athletes.
The DUT Basketball Male team are now currently ranked in 11th position out of 25 institutions compared to last year’s last position in the competition of 16 institutions and the Ladies team finishing second place in the USSA KZN League.
For Vuyo Dlamini, it was a cherry on top as he was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Marlins team which represented KwaZulu-Natal at the National Basketball League that was held in Johannesburg, last year and being selected for the USSA National Men’s team.
The DUT Volleyball Team also played many successful games, taking third position at the USSA Beach Volleyball Tournament, securing a bronze medal. Sabelo Nxumalo was named as the best blocker/defender of the tournament and Sfundo Mpuku given the title of the most valuable player at the tournament.
For the first time in DUT history the Ladies Chess Team are in third position on the log standing in the USSA Nationals and are in fifth position overall out of 22 teams for USSA Chess. Miss Pamela Magubane: The team manager for DUT Chess said that the team consists of first-time players, but the performance was truly outstanding.
Other sporting codes, namely Cricket and Football are sports that dominate and are part of the top five priority codes that DUT Sport has. Nkosikhona Dlungwana: The team manager for DUT Cricket said that he was happy with the teams’ performance because most players in the team had never been exposed to such a high level of competition and performed well despite facing a strong team at the tournament.
The DUT Football Males Team who are also called ‘Amadoda Ongawethemba’, their performance was deemed excellent at competition level, not forgetting the DUT Female Football Team who also qualified for Varsity Sports for 2023.
The DUT Sailing Team were placed in third place at the USSA Sailing Nationals, having also participated in the Twilight Series and Congella Race, before being victorious at the USSA Sailing Nationals.
DUT Female Tennis player Bongeka Hlongwane was selected as one of the 11 players for Team South Africa (SA) in the forthcoming 2023 FISU Games.
The Team manager for DUT Tennis, Mpumelelo Shangase, said: “We look forward to even better preparations and performances from the athletes for the 2023 season.”
The DUT Sport Administration Unit urges all DUT Students to join the various sporting codes. For more information, contact 031 373 2167.
Pictured: The DUT sporting teams who had participated at the USSA Tournaments.
Sinethemba Njoko
