The 13th African Games are well underway in Accra, capital of Ghana, showcasing the unique cultural heritage, sporting talent of the African continent and its diversity. The theme of the 13th African Games is “Experience the African Dream”.
Team South Africa is participating in ten sports codes and, of the three codes to have seen action, the highlight thus far is Maxine Willemse, who earned a bronze medal in Karate for Team South Africa’s first medal at the continental showdown.
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Maxine Willemse (36.90) put Team South Africa on the Africa Games medals table with a bronze medal in Female Individual Kata, after defeating Lesego Masimola (34.50) who hails from Botswana.
After Thursday’s action, South Africa has 1 point on the continental medals leaderboard courtesy Willemse. Egypt leads the way with seven points after five gold, one silver and one bronze. Morocco is in second place on four points with two gold medals, while Tunisia and Algeria have a share of third position on 5 points each, with Tunisia ahead on a solitary gold.
Badminton
Johanita Scholtz was a 2-nil round of 32 winner over Benin’s Anna Gladys Akakpo as the Badminton got underway on Thursday, while compatriot Diane Olivier went down 2-0 to Egypt’s Nour Ahmed Youssri Mohamed Latif.
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Amy Leigh Ackerman and Deidre Jordaan progressed to the round of 16 by virtue of a bye in the women’s doubles on Thursday, and face Togo’s Adjima Adjoa Sika Rolande and Kuassi-Kpede Ahliba Immelda Daniela in Friday’s action.
Table Tennis
The SA Women’s Table Tennis team have done well to progress to the semi-final stages at the Accra International Conference Centre, when the women’s trio of Danisha Patel, Mustfiquh Kalam and Lailaa Edwards were all comfortable winners over Angola, clinching their victory and only dropping two sets in the process.
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They then won through to the quarter-finals via a walkover win at the expense of the DR Congo, and have now booked a place in the semi-finals following a 3-2 victory over hosts Ghana. Up next is Nigeria, where the South Africans will be hoping to edge closer to a podium finish.
Cricket
As skipper Nondumiso Shangase correctly surmised ahead of time, the women’s cricket team will have to go back to the drawing board following a loss to Namibia in a rain-affected game.
Wilka Mwatile’s resilient batting display, Kayleen Green’s remarkable three-wicket haul along with wet conditions at Achimota Senior Secondary School played a crucial role in Namibia’s one-run victory via the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method against Team South Africa in the opening game of the Women’s T20 Cricket.
Team SA’s chase was delayed by rain before the innings began. When play resumed, Namibia managed to restrict their opponents to 29/4 after six overs, featuring Green’s three-for, before the rain returned once again, abruptly ending the match to award Namibia a narrow one-run win via DLS.
Despite a false start, youngsters Miané Smit (12*) and Karabo Meso (3*) put up an unbeaten 18-run stand-off 17 balls before inclement weather returned at the conclusion of the sixth over.
In the end, rain had the final say on the opening day of the Women’s T20 Cricket event at the Games, with Namibia securing a memorable one-run DLS triumph over South Africa, propelling them to the top of Group A after the match between Tanzania and Nigeria ended in a No Result due to rain.
Team SA Assistant Coach, Claire Terblanche: “Rain-affected games are never easy, especially when it’s such a low target to actually chase. But it was in our power to do so. We didn’t really play to our ability, especially up front with the bats.
“So I think coming back is going to test our character massively, and I think the bounce-back ability of this team is massive as well. And I think tomorrow is another day, and as the cliché goes, tomorrow is another day, and I think we’ll be back a lot stronger. It’s the first games for many of the girls.”
Action to Follow
South Africa can look forward to Cycling and Swimming getting underway on Saturday, and the biggest contingent of women start competition much later in the tournament, on Monday 18 March, when 24 of South Africa’s finest take on Africa’s best in Athletics.
Photo Caption: Karate’s Maxine Willemse earned a bronze medal for Team South Africa’s first medal at the 13th African Games underway in Accra, capital of Ghana, putting SA on the Africa Games medals table at the continental showdown in Female Individual Kata, after defeating Botswana’s Lesego Masimola. Photo: Kentokukan Shito-Ryu SA on Facebook
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