GREAT sportsmen and women representing our country today started in their respective schools.
To cement that, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane officially inaugurated Khanya Lesedi Sports School of Specialisation on Thursday, 21 September.
Khanya Lesedi, situated in Ratanda, Heidelberg, is a distinguished public school with a rich history of academic excellence, sports achievements, artistic endeavours and social development.
Started in January 1898, the school has consistently excelled in sporting codes such as soccer, netball, and athletics.
It has proudly represented the Sedibeng cluster at the district, provincial, national, and international levels.
"Notably, the late world 400m champion, Moses Mabaso, earned National Springbok colours during his time at the school, ultimately receiving a scholarship at Waterkloof in Pretoria. In a subsequent decade, twin athletes from the school represented the country in Botswana and Hungary.
"Among the school's standout athletes are Emma Manana, who excelled in events like 800m, 1500m, and cross country for five consecutive years from 1990 to 1995, and John Tshabalala, an exceptional athlete in 5000m and cross country for a similar duration," Chiloane said.
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Furthermore, Jan Mokoena specialised in 5000m cross country from 1997 to 2001.
Moses Mabaso distinguished himself as one of the world's best athletes, achieving a remarkable 46,15 seconds in the 400m run in 1995.
He represented the country as a world junior champion in Australia and later in Spain in 1996, where he pursued further studies at Waterkloof.
Twin brothers Siphiwe and Bongani Mtshali made waves in the ABSA Mega Cup from 1998 to 2000, achieving world-best times.
In 2001, Siphiwe secured a silver medal in the SA youth category in the 400m hurdles, earning him a trip to the world youth event in Hungary. His twin brother also claimed a bronze medal, qualifying for the regional games in Kenya waterfalls.
'More recently, Bontle Lekone and Thabang Dube represented South Africa in soccer in Italy, adding to the school's impressive athletic legacy.'
"Given this remarkable track record, Khanya Lesedi has earned its status as a Sports School of Specialisation, providing students with opportunities to nurture their talents alongside academic pursuits," Chiloane said.
He said the school boasts of a racing track through which pupils can run various lengths of races, hurdles and marathons.
"Accessible at the school is also a tennis court, volleyball court, soccer pitch, basketball court, and various equipment that can be used for javelin, discus and long jump, among other athletic sports.
"This specialised curriculum extends beyond physical activities, incorporating scientific innovation in physical health. Subjects like sports science and exercise, geography, physical science, and life science play vital roles in shaping various aspects of sports training, from pitch conditions to dietary requirements tailored to different sporting codes. ICT, coding and robotics are taught at the school through our multi-certification skills programme," Chiloane said.
