by Jay Caboz | Aug 24, 2012 | Featured 1, Sport
The Wits Fencing Club has ended a four-year medal drought by coming home with 6 medals and a third place ranking from the Gauteng Fencing Association (GFA) tournament held in Johannesburg in early August.
Fencers Mikesh Harrilall (gold), Dean Grisillo (silver), Thomas Shamuyarira (bronze) and Wikus Koen (2 silvers in the U20 division and bronze) competed in the field to bring home their winnings.
“The tournament consisted of three categories Epee, Sabre and Foil. Traditionally we do well in the Epee category but weirdly we won medals in the other two. It’s not so bad considering we coach ourselves,” said Thomas Shamuyarira, bronze winner and chairperson of the club.
“The different categories demand different sorts of agility,” said Shamuyarira. “The Epee is for people who are taller and have a longer reach, the Foil is for people who are more agile and the Sabre is for people who are stockier and more powerful. The Sabre is the one most people know about, it’s where you see the fencers jumping with more physical movements.”
Mikesh Harrilall and Dean Grisillo fought each other in the Sabre final which lasted for nine minutes and ended with a score of 15-11. Harrilall is the first fencer to win a gold medal in any event for the club in over 4 or 5 years said Shamuyarira.
Harrilall only started fencing in his second year at Wits.
“My family all plays table tennis, when I joined the table tennis club in first year I watched the fencers across the room. I knew that next year I would do that. They just looked like they were having so much fun,“ Harrilall said.
Harrilall is set to begin his BSc Honours AccSci at Wits next year.
Shamuyarira explains that the hardest part of fencing is keeping fit. It makes it easier to concentrate toward the end of the bout.
“When you are fighting you are watching the sword and the opponent’s body language mostly. It is a mental game and you have to watch out when your opponent fakes a movement, that’s called a feint.”
The objective is to win by points. You have to initiate an attack to get points and make sure you don’t lose your advantage, or else your opponent will win a point by countering,” said Shamuyarira.
At the University Sports South Africa tournament, held in July, Koen also brought home an individual bronze and a team bronze medal (Koen, Thomas Shamuyarira and Alek Gallo). Overall Wits Fencing finished 5th out of 10 clubs competing.
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For more links click here
Olympic dreams for 2016
Wits men seal the deal against Crusaders
Lopez has an objective
Tang Soo Do walks away with a 20 medal haul
Published in Wits Vuvuzela 20th edition, 23 August 2012
by Jay Caboz | Aug 24, 2012 | Sport
Demi Du Toit, Under 21 South Africa and Wits hockey defender, made all the difference in the final moments of their Inter-Provincial (IPT) match with Western Province at the Kaspersky Randburg Astro on Tuesday.
The Women’s SA U21 hockey squad managed to scrape out a 1-1 draw with Western Province in their pool matches at the Kaspersky Randburg Astro on Tuesday.
Du Toit made a last-ditch diving clearance on the goal line, during the last minute of play, to help secure the U21’s hopes for making semi-final place in the tournament. SA U21 now sits comfortably in first place ahead of Western Province.
The match marked her fifth year appearing for the green and gold since she made the squad at 17.
Kirsten Morley-Jepson, Gabby Garcia and Jamie Martin (Captain) are also representing Wits in the South Gauteng Provincial B side, Witsies.
For Du Toit every moment on the field is about being accurate, composed and patient.
What is your training programme like?
Our training programme is specified per person. We play with heart rate monitors and are all a part of a programme called “moves count” on the internet. The watches monitor our heart rates, how hard we are working and the effect training has on our bodies and this data is loaded onto the site. Our conditioning coach analyses the data and makes a programme to ensure we are training at the correct intensity and in the correct manner to be at our best.
What has been the hardest challenge you have faced since making the side?
I have been struggling with injuries this year and it’s very frustrating having to sit on the sideline when all you want to do is play.
How much further do you have to go before you can make the senior SA women’s squad?
It’s going to take a lot more hard work, focus and a determination. I believe I have what it takes to be in that team one day and I will put in the work to get there. I have the support, opportunity and faith to make my dreams come true.
How do you balance you commitments?
I still am not actually sure how I am doing it. I attempt to face one day at a time and the result is late nights, lots of stressed out, freaking out moments, cramming sessions and a whole lot of running around exhausted. I however have an incredible family, best friend and classmates who are my support group. They help me tremendously, keeping me in line, helping me with assignments, due dates, training and a lot of time well needed down time away from both hockey and university.
How has the season with the Wits Women gone?
Wits First ladies ended the season in 6th position in the premier league accompanied with a good performance at the South African Universities tournament. The first team ladies got a new coach in Pete de Lange this year. He came into the team with a world of knowledge. He changed our attitudes, pushed us hard and taught us so much.
For more links click below
Wits men seal the deal against Crusaders
Men’s hockey hunt for bonus points
Du Toit hat-trick squares varsity hockey derby
by Jay Caboz | Aug 24, 2012 | News
A student casts his vote during the voting period for the SRC elections this week. Voting hours were extended to allow for more students to cast their ballot for their candidates of choice. Students who voted were impressed by the campaigning of the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) and the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO).Campaigning tactics included posters, SMSs, door to door canvasing and other tactics.
Follow these links for more on the SRC elections
Akinoluwa Oyedele – Candidate claims election exclusion
A Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) candidate was apparently removed from the ballot list days before the SRC elections.
Zinhle Tshabalala – Witsies are indifferent about SRC elections
Less than 20% of Witsies generally vote in the SRC elections – and this week’s election is not expected to draw more than 23%, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
by Jay Caboz | Aug 7, 2012 | Featured 1, News
Photos by Jay Caboz
by Jay Caboz | Aug 2, 2012 | Featured 1, News
By Jay Caboz follow him on WordPress or for more Photography
Gavin, who lives at number 15 Juweel Street, Jukskei Park, noticed that something was amiss after he hearing strange noises coming from his neighbour’s house. It was 4am but from his bedroom window it looked as if sunrise had happened already. The house next door, number 17 was on fire.
“I then heard the sound of the flames as the thatch caught fire. I phoned the fire department and went outside to start wetting my own thatch roof with the garden hose.”
By the time the firemen arrived the flames were two meters high.
Firemen struggled with the fire. They needed more water but the only fire hydrant was on the next street. Four more trucks and a portable water truck were called in to handle the blaze.
Until they came, firemen controlled the fire by wetting the border areas of the house. Other neighbours also began to wet their thatch rooftops in case the blaze spread.
“The house had been empty for a couple of months.” said Gavin to the other neighbours gathered around the street. One of them was watching the fire with her coffee mug still steaming.
Despite rumours of squatters on the property firemen said they found no evidence that anyone had been in the house when the fire had started.
Stories like these are a regular occurrence in South Africa’s wintertime. Winter is dry in Joburg, and cold, according the city of Johannesburg these are the two leading causes that lead to fires in households in the city. People turn on their heaters and braziers, and carelessness can lead to devastating fires.
Bringing home reality
The following is taken from an article written by Camilla Bath, Deputy News Editor for Eyewitness News, in Johannesburg.
“Fire is a terrifying thing. It tears through homes, guts buildings, destroys property and devastates the lives of those who survive it. Many don’t.”
Years ago, as a field reporter, I covered the story of a fire at an electrical sub-station in Johannesburg in which a man died. Authorities suspected the victim had been living in the sub-station and had inadvertently touched a live wire, starting the blaze late at night.
Early the following morning, I caught a glimpse of his blackened body through the painted slats of an air vent. It is an image that has stayed with me in vivid detail, one I wish I’d never seen: the badly burnt corpse somehow frozen in time, crouching, one hand outstretched, his face formless, its features seared away. Perhaps worse than that stiff figure was the smell of burnt flesh, unexpectedly sweet and cloying.
Every time I hear or read about another fatal fire, I’m taken straight back to that scene.”
Follow more of her article here –http://sawdis1.blogspot.com/2012/06/real-burning-issue.html
- Only SABS-approved electrical and/or cooking apparatus should be used.
- Heaters, two-plate stoves and so on, should only be used for their intended purposes, as per the instruction manual.
- Do not leave candles burning unattended.
- Experience has shown that in informal settlements – though this can also be the case in brick and mortar structures – people tend to disregard even the smallest detail regarding fire safety by warming themselves using primus stoves and braziers (mbawulas), only to fall asleep and their homes go up in flames.
- Alcohol should be consumed in moderation.
- In case of emergency, call 10177 or 112.
Everyone is welcome to volunteer at a fire station in Johannesburg of his/her choice. Life skills acquired through such volunteering can be used in life-saving situations. A well-trained volunteer can perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on victims of drowning and smoke inhalation. They can also train members of their own communities to be life-savers.
- Fire sources such as heaters, stoves and irons should not be left unattended.
- Boxes of matches and cigarette lighters should be stored safely.
- Children like to experiment– always trying this and that. Their actions can have dire consequences, not only to your home but to the whole community
Make sure that your house is properly ventilated; there must always be enough fresh air. This will prevent winter-related airborne diseases.
Other sites of interest
Firewise
Dangerous areas
Preventing veld fires
ER 24
by Jay Caboz | Jul 27, 2012 | Featured 1, News
Nicholas Ho, first year BSc, hoped to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics but missed his final chance in March. He still has a chance to compete in the 2016 Olympics, since he is part of the South African Archery junior training team. “Archery is a kind of hit-and-miss sport. You never see the same person winning a medal two Olympics in a row,” said Ho. “You stand more chances of winning a gold in archery than in other sports such as athletics where there are big names like Usain Bolt.”
Text by Marsha Moodley & Jay Caboz
Photographs by Jay Caboz
Published in Vuvuzela 17th Edition
Wits’ Olympic hopeful, Nicholas Ho, failed to qualify for the London games, but still remains optimistic about representing South Africa in archery.
The first year BSc student said the demands of starting university had prevented him from competing in the African Archery Championships in Morocco in March. He needed to be ranked in the top 32 in that competition in order to qualify. He was writing exams at the time.
Ho had previously taken part in the qualifiers for the Singapore 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, but failed to qualify because he did not rank high enough.
“We competed in a series of head-to-head competitions, where two archers competed against each until one loses. I got eliminated in the first round though.”
Ho, who is currently ranked 57th in the national division, has represented South Africa three times: in Poland, Turkey and America. He still has a chance to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics as he is part of South Africa’s junior archery training team.
Ho told Vuvuzela the training process for archers was quite intense. “An average shooting exercise consists of anywhere from 100 to 110 shots, but in a competitive environment I would shoot about 144 arrows for six to seven hours standing.”
Ho has competed in all sorts of weather conditions: “heat with temperatures of 40 degrees, rain and wind”.
Archery was a costly sport, he said. His bow cost R30 000, with individual arrows costing R300 each. “I am funded by my mom, but I do receive some funding from Archery South Africa and Wits Sports.”
Although archery was not a paying sport, he said he did it because he had a passion for it. “I have been playing since I was nine.”
marsha@witsvuvuzela.com
jay@witsvuvuzela.com
by Jay Caboz | Jul 27, 2012 | Featured 1, Sport
by Jay Caboz
Published in the Vuvuzela Edition 17, 27 July 2012
A hotly contested match ended with the Wits hockey men beating Crusaders 2-1 last Sunday.
The win pushes Wits into fourth position in the premier league. This places them above Crusaders by just one point. At this stage Wits have three more matches left in the season, only one more than Crusaders.
From the start, Wits applied heavy pressure on the Crusaders’ defence. The strategy has proven to be effective throughout the season. On Sunday, Wits forced the Crusaders’ defence and midfield line to make crucial errors, giving Wits a number of shooting opportunities.
Five minutes into the half, Wits goalkeeper Carl Zontag was judged to have been fouled deliberately in his own defensive area. Crusaders striker Jonathan Martin was shown a yellow card with a ten-minute suspension off the field.
Wits took immediate advantage of the 10-man side. With an impressive display of individual skill, striker Max Cobbett put in the first goal of the game from a tight angle with a reverse stick shot.
Crusaders appeared switched off for the rest of the half. They conceded another field goal thanks to a good base line run from Witsie Jarryd Povall, who set up fellow team mate Devon Campbell.
Wits went into the halftime break with the two-goal lead.
The second half saw a revival from Crusaders. Wits’ defence, which had seen little action in the first half, was put under considerable pressure and Crusaders managed to pull off a single goal courtesy of a deflection by Brendan Hayes. Despite the added pressure, Wits remained calm and managed to hang on to their slim goal lead.
At the other end, Wits produced a number of chances to increase their score but failed to take their opportunities, which included six penalty corners.
“I was happy with the win,” said Geoffrey Scott, Wits Captain. “We went there and got the points we needed. It wasn’t our best game but it’s a positive sign when we don’t play our best, yet still walk away with 3 points.”
If Wits keep their fourth place position, it would be the best result the Wits Men’s A-side has had in a number of years – especially since they played for relegation at the end of last year’s season.
Wits faces one more tough game, against Jeppe A on August 11. Jeppe is currently third in the log. At this stage bonus points in the other two matches are essential in order for the Wits side to stay fourth.
jaycaboz@gmail.com
jay@witsvuvuzela.com
by Jay Caboz | Jul 20, 2012 | Featured 1, Sport
by
Jay Caboz
Published in the vuvuzela, 20 July 2012
The hockey men earned a win and a much-needed bonus point after beating Jeppe B 8-1 in their Premier League match on Saturday at the Randburg Astro.
The men’s team desperately needed to win by five goals. This would earn them the bonus point needed to catch up to the top four teams in the league.
In a slow-to-start game, Wits spent the first half struggling to score. Most of the play occurred in Jeppe’s half. There were a number of wayward shots despite Wits’ strikers being in good positions to score.
There were some tense moments when Jeppe B managed to get out of their own half and counter attack. However, their shots lacked firepower and were easily saved by Carl Zontag, Wits’ goalkeeper.
Wits continued to put pressure on Jeppe B’s defence but with little effect, until striker Andrew Hofmeyer managed to score late into the half after a tight scramble near the goal line.
“We had control for much of the game but struggled in the final third during the first half…only being 1-0 up at half time,” said Zontag.
Wits continued the second half from where they left off. They dominated play and, shortly after restarting, Matthew Povall capitalised his chances by adding another two goals to his impressive tally for the season.
Jeppe B managed to pull a single goal back toward the end of the second half, against the run of play, to bring the game to 3-1.
“The pressure and patience paid off as goals came more steadily through a couple well executed shorties and flicks from the Povall brothers, Matthew and Jay. In last 10 minutes the flood gates opened and we scored four more,” said Zontag.
Robert Morisse executed a well-planned penalty corner to give Wits their needed bonus point.
Wits did not stop there. They put in a further two more goals to end the game 8-1.
The goal scorers were as follows: Andrew Hofmeyer 1, Mark Tathum 1, Barry Morisse 1, Robert Morisse 1, Max Cobbett 1, and a hat trick to Matthew Povall.
The win secures Wits’ 5th position on the log. Wits is now two points behind log leaders Crusaders. They play against them this Sunday (July 22) at 12.45pm, Randburg Astro.
The hockey side comes fresh off a winning streak at their USSA tournament held in Johannesburg during the holiday break. They took gold in the B section, placing the side among the top eight universities in the country.
Follow more articles by Jay
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jay@witsvuvuzela.com
by Jay Caboz | May 18, 2012 | Featured 1, Sport
Published in Vuvuzela 14th Edition
Wits Tang Soo Do club brought home 20 medals from competing in the Free State Championships held in Bloemfontein last weekend.
The Korean martial arts club participated in the tournament alongside four other clubs from Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Nelspruit and Randfontein.
“If you don’t train hard it’s not going to become muscle memory,” said Ané van der Merwe, co-chairperson of Tang Soo Do (TSD) club, at the team’s fitness session on Tuesday evening.
“Core stabilisation is essential for the [Tang Soo Do] fighting form, so we need to do as much of this sort of fitness as we can. That’s where all the power in our kicks comes from.”
Kathrijn Thys, the other co-chair said: “We try to participate in as many competitions as we can. It’s really important to participate in these events. At Bloem, five of our students won 20 medals together.”
There were two categories the students could compete in. The first was TSD, which involves sparring as well as tests of form. The second involves a separate fighting style using a Korean sword called Haedong Kumdo (HK).
Van der Merwe won five medals (two for HK and three for TSD) and walked away with the award for HK senior participant of the day.
Other Witsies who were part of the club’s trophy haul were Zama Mbambo (two medals for HK and three for TSD), Titus Masike (three medals for TSD), Ngwato Kekana (two medals for TSD).
Ranking with a medal position in this tournament also meets one of the requirements for students hoping to compete in the World Tang Soo Do Championships to be held next year. Thys, Van der Merwe and Masike could qualify since they won additional medals at the SA Champs in March.
Commenting on the club’s success, Thys, who was awarded five medals (two for HK and three for TSD), said: “We have done very well this year with us competing well and having a large number of members join.
“Just last Tuesday and Thursday we had our club’s grading when a number of our white belts advanced to purple. Hopefully we can compete for Club of the Year again, which we won in 2010.”
jay@witsvuvuzela.com
For more about Jay visit his Blog or else his projects page.
by Brendan Roane | Feb 8, 2012 | Featured 1, News
A Wits student who has ‘never won anything’ saw his prize-winning photograph hung on the wall at the Voice of Wits (VoW FM) studio on Tuesday.
The competition called for submissions of pictures of sound, which presented the participants with the difficulty of representing audio through a silent medium.
“When I found out I had won, it was awesome, I never win anything,” said Potsiso Phasha, who has nearly completed his Masters in development planning.
“I felt like it was quite an achievement as I’m a self-taught photographer,” said Phasha.
Phasha said he enjoyed the contrast between the traditionally amplified musical equipment and the lack of electricity in the setting of his photograph.
The winning photographs have been framed and hung at the VoW FM office and Phasha said he will definitely return to visit his photograph in the future.
