Mpumalanga’s U15 sportsmen and -women flew the province’s flag high at the 2025 National School Sports Winter Games Championships in Durban from July 11 to 15. The talented youngsters participated in soccer, netball and rugby.
The netball outfit consisted of three teams of people living with disabilities; one for those with mild intellectual disabilities, one for severe intellectual disabilities, and another for deaf learners. In the girls’ football team, seven players of the Easthigh Ladies Academy U15 team participated in the championships.
Katlego Nape, Sinothile Mhlanga, Maria Leshaba, Nkosingimphile Mthombeni, Luthando Nkosi, Blessing Mnisi and Kamogelo Maroga represented Easthigh well during the games. Also from Mpumalanga, Witbank High School’s entire U15 boys soccer team were selected to compete.
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Nkosimphile Mthombeni of Easthigh claimed the joint top goal scorer title and the girls’ player of the tournament, while Kenny Zolani of Witbank claimed the coveted player of the tournament award in the boys’ division, as well as various other top individual accolades. The Mpumalanga girls’ and boys’ football teams clinched silver medals and gave a great performance.
In the finals, the boys team lost 3-5 against Free State in a penalty shoot-out, while the girls suffered a defeat of 4-1 in penalties against KZN.
The results of the tournament are as follows:
Day 1
Boys football
Mpumalanga 1-1 Free State
Mpumalanga 2-1 North West
Mpumalanga 0-0 Eastern Cape.
Girls football
Mpumalanga 7-1 Northern Cape
Mpumalanga 0-3 KZN.
Boys rugby
Mpumalanga 3-7 Free State
Mpumalanga 7-10 KZN
Mpumalanga 0-39 Western Cape
Mpumalanga 5-10 North West.
Girls netball
Mpumalanga 4-3 KZN (mild intellectual disability)
Mpumalanga 1-7 KZN (severe intellectual disability)
Mpumalanga 1-12 KZN (deaf).
Day 2
Boys rugby
Mpumalanga 7-17 North West
Girls rugby
Mpumalanga 7-5 Limpopo
Mpumalanga 0-10 KZN (This game was abandoned due to several injuries).
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emanuelmajola
www.citizen.co.za
