SPU Gemsboks on the podium at the USSA games

Dressed in their new Gemsbok kits, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) students on the hockey, rugby, netball, volleyball and dance sport teams headed to Cape Town between 29 June and 9 July 2022 to compete in the most recent round of the University Sports South Africa (USSA) games hosted by the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“The excitement was out of this world,” said dance sport coach Mr Katlego Khonou. “At the event, you could hear SPU students shouting ‘Gemmie fire!’ while wearing their new sports regalia. I am so proud of our teams.”

The SPU Gemsbok male and female hockey teams competed in the C section of the tournament. The men’s team beat their opponents to take the top spot – they’ve now been promoted to B section for the next round. That’s a huge achievement.

The women’s hockey team took silver in their section after also winning all their games. Samantha Snyman had a particularly outstanding tournament and she was named Player of the Tournament for her section. Samantha and team, you did us proud.

The SPU Gemsbok Dance Sport team excelled in more than one discipline. They brought home medals and trophies in the Theme Dance, Kasie Flavour, Hip-hop and Mango Groove categories.

Kagiso Kgoele, Katlego Tshabaesele, Florence Legoete, Refilwe Botha, Jack Hermans, Tsholofetso Ntsebe, Karabo Monnahela, Ephens Motsamai, King Moima and Mogomane Digashu competed as a team in the modern dance category. The judges agreed their performance was spectacular and awarded them gold in the Mango Groove section.

The Hip-hop Formation team took silver. Congratulations to Tshephiso Lobelo, King Moima, Kobamelo Sekwenyane, Omolemo Mehlo, Rashaan Patterson, Kobamelo Sekwenyane, Karabo Monnahela and Jayda Matthys.

But that’s not where the medals ended for the dance team. Tshephiso Lobelo was awarded gold in the female hip-hop solos, and King Moima received a silver medal for his hip-hop solo. There were more medals for our hip-hop duos, and members of the dance sport team made it to the semi-finals and finals (fifth place) in other ballroom and Latin American dancing.

“We are so proud of our dance sport team and what they achieved so far. It was a tough competition, competing against various universities including UWC, UKZN, TUT and more, and it was very fulfilling to witness our students winning and taking first and second position. We’re excited for the next competition: Rumba in the Jungle in Sun City in September,” said coach Khonou.

In May 2022, when the SPU Gemsbok brand was launched and the new kits revealed, speakers at the event said Kimberley was set to become a beacon of sporting pride. Those were clearly prophetic words and we’d like to congratulate all the SPU athletes for representing our university and doing us proud.