Dewald van Niekerk(pictured above) is ready to turn the glass court into his personal playground as he hunts a sixth straightGrowthpoint SA Senior Nationals crown at Makers Landing from August 20 to 22 at the V& A Waterfront in Cape Town.
The SA Country Districts star has been the man to beat since Rodney Durbach ended his run in 2020. Van Niekerk answered that defeat by winning his first national title in 2021 and has been swinging his racquet like a wrecking ball ever since.
Last year, he smashed through Steve Coppinger’s record of four consecutive titles, set between 2010 and 2013.
Now history is knocking again.
Standing in his way are the Groenewald brothers, Damian and Luhann, seeded second and third respectively.
Damian has already shown Van Niekerk can be pushed to the edge. He took the champion to five games at July’s Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan interprovincial tournament and will open against fellow Northerns player Judah Phillips.
Luhann, one of South Africa’s brightest young squash prospects, faces a baptism of fire against 2019 champion JP Brits.
Fourth seed John Anderson meets Eastern Province’s Dean Venter.
Six-time champion and defending champion Alex Commins is absent, leaving Eastern Province ace Hayley Ward with the No 1 seeding.
Hayley Ward (EP) heads the women’s field for the Growthpoint SA Senior Nationals squash championships to be played at Makers Landing at the V&A Waterfront from August 20 22. Picture credits: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images
Northerns second seed Helena Hudson faces Keschia Schlebusch, while third seed and 2021 champion Lizelle Muller, Van Niekerk’s sister, takes on Lara Patrick.
Ward has finished runner-up for the past two years and will be desperate to turn silver into gold. Her first hurdle is Western Province’s Kim McDonald.
Fourth seed Alexa Pienaar faces former champion Milnay Louw in a mouth-watering opener.
Pienaar is a former University Sport SA champion, while Louw lifted the national crown in 2017 and 2019.
With reputations, records and bragging rights on the line, the all-glass court at the V&A Waterfront is set for three days of high-octane squash.
Growthpoint Properties Group CEO Estienne de Klerk said the tournament showcases the depth of South African talent.
“The Growthpoint SA Senior National Squash Championships brings together the very best of South African squash, from established champions to the next generation, showcasing the depth of talent in South African in this sport,” he said.
“Growthpoint is proud to provide Space to Thrive by supporting a championship that gives these athletes a national stage on which to compete at their best.”
City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the tournament had become an important part of the sporting calendar.
“The City of Cape Town is proud to continue its support for the Growthpoint SA Squash Nationals in 2026,” Smith said.
“The championships have become an important platform for raising the profile of squash while creating opportunities to develop the country’s most talented athletes.”
V&A Waterfront head of public relations Donald Kau said: “The Growthpoint SA Nationals tournament continues to bring incredible energy to our neighbourhood while showcasing the V&A Waterfront as a destination for world-class experiences.”
The U15 Nationals will also take place, giving the next generation their own taste of the national spotlight.
For Van Niekerk, the mission is brutally simple: win again.
Six titles are within reach. The squash ball is in his court.
Sosibo has enjoyed a sizzling 2026 campaign, lowering her 10km personal best to 32:16 at the SPAR Women’s Grand Prix Durban leg in June and dipping under 32:45 three times this season.
Then came Durban.
She clocked 32:36 to finish sixth in a quality international field at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, a performance that gave her belief and plenty of bite.
“Durban was amazing for me this year. I ran a PB at SPAR and got a top-six finish at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, which gave me a big confidence boost,” said the KwaZulu-Natal-born runner, now based in Soweto.
Her legs have been talking loudly ever since.
On Sunday, she ran 34:01 for third at the Totalsports Women’s Race Joburg, less than 24 hours after winning the senior women’s 10km title at the Central Gauteng Cross Country Championships.
That is some serious mileage in the bank.
Sosibo knows what it feels like to mix it with the best. At the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, she finished 10th in the half marathon in a personal best 1:09:31.
Now, under the watchful eye of legendary coach Michael ‘Sponge’ Seme, who has also guided four-time Olympian Stephen Mokoka, she believes the old magic is returning.
“Things have been going well for me this year. I feel like the Cacisile who was competing back in 2023. I’m coming back slowly but surely.”
Tshwane, however, is ready to collect its toll.
The hilly, high-altitude route can chew up ambitious runners like a hungry school of piranhas. Sosibo knows a personal best may be asking for too much.
“Tshwane is a tougher course with hills at altitude, so I’m not expecting a PB. My target is to race smart and run with the lead pack for as long as possible.”
Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports, believes her Durban performance has changed the conversation.
“Cacisile’s 2026 season has been hugely encouraging, and her sixth-place finish in Durban showed that she can compete with a strong international field,” Meyer said. “We’re looking forward to seeing her build on that performance in Tshwane.”
The race is sold out, with the gun going at 08:00 from Stanza Bopape Street in Arcadia.
For Sosibo, the mission is clear: climb with courage, conserve the fuel and unleash the finishing kick when the road finally points home.
Her comeback may be labelled “slowly but surely”.
On Sunday, she will be hoping it looks anything but slow.
Springbok coachRassie Erasmus has dismissed suggestions that South Africa deliberately slows the game at set pieces, insisting his team will stick to its systems when the All Blacks arrive at 10bet Ellis Park on Saturday.
“There are always three truths: New Zealand’s truth, the truth people believe, and our truth,” Erasmus said.
The comments come as the pre-Test needle begins to prick. New Zealand has promoted a high-intensity, multi-phase style, with suggestions that the Springboks could seek to disrupt that rhythm.
Erasmus is having none of it.
@RassieRugby has rejected claims the @Springboks are slowing play ahead of Saturday’s @AllBlacks Test at Ellis Park. Jaco Peyper says the laws are clear.@SiyaKolisi and @oxkraal Ox Nche remain injury doubts. And the Boks expect an All Blacks side ready to run, smash and…
“In our last two games against New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington, people can go and look at those games and ask were we slowing those down. They beat us in Auckland, and we got a good result in Wellington.”
For Erasmus, Test rugby is not about satisfying outside narratives but more about surviving the furnace when pressure reaches boiling point.
“We believe there’s a certain way to win big games and we think it will be a grind.”
That grind could become the defining feature of Saturday’s opening act.
“When you’re under pressure and you attack, it’s tough to maintain cohesion,” Erasmus said. “We will try to find a balance when games are really tight, but we have a system to fall back on that protects the players.”
Tony Brown’s influence has also helped shape the Boks’ attacking approach.
“Since Tony Brown, former All Black flyhalf and current Springbok assistant coach, has been with us, we feel as though we’ve been on the right track.”
“The law is very clear. From the moment the referee puts his foot down to mark the spot, not from the whistle, there is 30 seconds to form a lineout or scrum.”
Peyper said teams could manage the moments before the mark is made within the laws, while opponents who are ready to play can apply pressure.
“There’s nothing in the law that says you can’t idle before the mark is given.”
He also pointed out that teams can disrupt tempo through repeated infringements at breakdowns and mauls.
The whistle, in other words, could become a metronome for a Test where every second matters.
Peyper has full confidence in the officials appointed for the four-Test series, particularly England’s Matthew Carley, who will referee Saturday’s opener.
“You’re going to have a firm referee. Someone who deals decisively at the breakdown and is very strong on anything negative or cynical. And he does not get influenced by the home crowd.”
That could be music to the ears of both coaching boxes.
Erasmus expects the All Blacks to bring a blue-chip attacking blueprint to Johannesburg.
“You can see it on social media. They’re advocating a high intensity, running game, with multi-phase attacks. And when you analyse it, it definitely shows in the stats.”
Dave Rennie, who Erasmus previously faced during his Munster days, adds another tactical layer to the contest.
“The big battle is going to be when they have the ball, they’ll have total control of what they do with it, and when we have the ball, we’ll have total control of what we do with it.”
The biggest concern for Erasmus is the All Blacks’ breakdown work.
“What concerns us most is how physical and brutal they are at the breakdown. They take the ball through so many phases and then they put in a well-timed grubber kick. Their attacking kicks are as dangerous as when they have ball-in-hand.”
Away from the tactical chessboard, Erasmus admitted the Springboks are embracing the occasion.
“We all appreciate and respect what this series means,” he said.
“I’d love it if the people at Ellis Park create the same atmosphere as that which the people did in Cape Town. The haka was heard 100%, which makes it something special.”
The Springbok coach also knows the All Blacks remain capable of delivering a sting.
“We know how good the All Blacks are. Since 2018, when they were leading the world, we’ve always wondered when they’re going to beat us again, and they will beat us again in future, but hopefully not this weekend.”
Erasmus will name his team on Thursday, with captain Siya Kolisi and prop Ox Nche the only injury concerns.
“The only two doubtful players are Siya and Ox, who are coming along well,” he said. “I wouldn’t say either is confirmed out, but if they get through training today it could go either way. Apart from those two, everybody else is available.”
The All Blacks are also expected to unveil a few tactical surprises.
“They’ll have plans they didn’t show in the Nations Championship, little things, such as lineout variations, maybe a front peel or back peel move, and there are things that have caught us out before.”
Glenrose Xaba saved her sharpest kick for the closing kilometres, powering to a commanding 32:11 victory at theTotalsports Women’s Race Joburgat Marks Park, Emmarentia, on Sunday.
The South African turned a demanding 10km into a tactical game of patience, pace and positioning, picking her moment before putting daylight between herself and the chasing pack with about two kilometres remaining.
It was a performance built for the hill
Xaba had initially planned to shadow Kenya’s Brenda Kenei, who arrived with a 30:29 personal best and ambitious sub-30:30 intentions. The Joburg elevation and rolling route soon exposed where the race could be won.
“I saw a post that there would be a lady aiming for sub-30:30, and I said I would go with her. I knew the course was tough, but I would try my best to stick with her,” Xaba said.
“The beginning was hard because she was pushing, but I tried my best to keep the pace. I noticed that when it came to the hills, she was not as strong, so I tried to close the gap on the downhills so that when we approached the hills, I could stick with her. I think the plan worked for me.”
It certainly did.
With the final climbs looming, Xaba shifted gears and turned the race into a solo pursuit.
“I think it was two kilometres to go when I broke away from her. I knew that when we got to one kilometre to go, we were going to climb again.”
Her reward was a second victory of the year and another confidence boost ahead of the World Championships.
“It feels amazing to cross the finish line first. I think it’s my second win of the year, so I am very happy. It shows that my training is going well. I am focusing on the World Champs, so when I come to a race, I am coming with a full programme.”
Top Three: Brenda Kenei, Glenrose Xaba and Cacisile Sosibo. Photo’s Tobias Ginsberg
Kenei finished second, with South African Cacisile Sosibo third.
Xaba’s victory also put a distinctly local gloss on a series increasingly becoming a meeting point for South African talent and international challengers. Durban went to Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala in 32:06, while Kenya’s Daisilah Jerono won Cape Town in 31:29.
Stillwater Sports managing director Michael Meyer praised the Joburg finale and the thousands of women who helped turn the series into a national celebration.
“The Totalsports Women’s Race Joburg was the perfect culmination of this year’s three-race series,” Meyer said.
Totalsports head of marketing Nikki Crous echoed the sentiment, saying women across Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg had created “three truly memorable race days”.
With Busiswa providing the soundtrack and PinkDrive remaining central to the campaign, the series finished with plenty of colour, community and running shoes pounding the pavement.
Xaba supplied the final flourish.
Joburg had its champion. The 2026 Women’s Month racing relay had its perfect finishing kick.
New Zealand ran in eight tries in Pretoria on Saturday, producing their most complete performance of the South African tour to date and finishing their provincial warm-ups unbeaten.
It was a statement built on scrum power, breakdown brutality and attacking freedom. Josh Moorby, Leroy Carter and captain Codie Taylor all crossed twice as the All Blacks raced into a 24-0 halftime lead.
The Bulls eventually found some life, scoring three tries, yet New Zealand kept the scoreboard ticking like a taxi meter on a busy Saturday night.
For Dave Rennie, the performance offered useful clues ahead of next Saturday’s first Test against theSpringboks in Johannesburg.
“50 points against a very good Bulls side is a positive,” Rennie said.
“We played a team that was prepared to play and really took it to us. I thought our set piece was strong, especially the scrum.”
The All Blacks created 11 line breaks to the Bulls’ one and showed improved discipline, giving Rennie plenty of selection headaches with his Test squad now taking shape.
“That certainly wasn’t our Test side tonight, and so there will be a number of changes,” he said.
“There were some really good performances that will put pressure on us from a selection point of view.”
Rennie also knows the Bulls were not a Test-strength opponent. The Pretoria side had not played since June and had limited preparation following their URC final appearance.
That reality explains why Rennie was quick to sound the brakes on the victory parade.
“What we know is that the intensity levels and the quality we’re going to come up against next week are three, four, or fivefolds, but we’ve played reasonably well on tour, and we know we need to up the ante.”
The All Blacks could welcome back Will Jordan and Cam Roigard, who have progressed from their respective injuries. Damian McKenzie remains a concern with an ankle problem, while Rennie hopes he can train on Tuesday.
New Zealand captain Codie Taylor delivered his own warning.
“No disrespect to the Bulls but they [the Springboks] will lift the tempo and physicality. That’s what Test match footy is all about. It’s an exciting week ahead.”
Loftus was the dress rehearsal. Ellis Park is where the curtain rises.
The Joburg Squash player recovered from 2-1 down to beat Northerns’ Elzandri Janse van Rensburg 3-2 in a gripping U19 women’s final.
Robinson found her rhythm when the match entered its business end, moving with purpose and using the court like a chessboard as she pinned Janse van Rensburg deep before finishing the job 11-6, 11-5 in the final two games.
The victory fulfilled a goal Robinson has carried since first competing at the tournament.
“This has been a big goal for me since I started playing this tournament, so I’m very proud to have got the win,” she said.
“I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me over the past few years to make this sort of result possible.”
Janse van Rensburg, the Growthpoint U17 champion in 2024 and 2025, had to settle for third after KwaZulu-Natal’s Makayla Naidoo beat Boland’s Dane Meintjies 3-0 to finish second.
There was more five-game drama in the U19 men’s final, where Northerns top seed Juan-Corne Brand edged Western Province’s Joseph Feast 3-2.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 15: Juan-Corne Brand in his match against Joseph Feast during day 3 of the Growthpoint SA Squash Nationals 2026 – Juniors at Makers Landing, V&A Waterfront on August 15, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images)
Feast appeared to have the match in his grasp after Brand squandered a match point in the fourth game, forcing a decider. Brand steadied himself, raced into an early lead and held his nerve to win 11-6 in the fifth.
The scoreline, 3-11, 12-10, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6, underlined a final played at full throttle.
The U17 girls’ final produced another test of nerve.
Northerns left-hander Starla Phillips recovered from losing the opening game 11-8 to beat Border’s Kate van Biljon 3-1. Phillips repeatedly found the back corners with precision length before unleashing a sharp short game.
She survived a late wobble after allowing three match points to disappear while leading 10-6 in the fourth, then sealed the title with a winning backhand drop.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 15: Starla Philips in her match against Kate van Biljon during day 3 of the Growthpoint SA Squash Nationals 2026 – Juniors at Makers Landing, V&A Waterfront on August 15, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images)
“I’m feeling good and very happy right now,” Phillips said.
“I’ve had some good results this year, and also a few bad ones, but I am glad I was able to finish it off today.”
Phillips was particularly pleased to settle an old score against Van Biljon, who beat her in the 2024 Growthpoint U15 girls’ final.
“Kate and I have been playing each other for many years and always have a good game, so I’m happy to get the win today.”
Christian Swanepoel completed the U17 winners’ list by beating provincial teammate Ruan Botha 3-0 in the boys’ final.
Christian Swanepoel Photo by Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images
The championships produced a healthy dose of sweat, skill and sporting theatre, with South Africa’s emerging squash stars showing that when the pressure cooker starts whistling, composure can be the sharpest weapon in the racket bag.
Doreen Cherop arrived in South Africa as an unknown quantity. She left Durban as a 10km winner. Now the Kenyan has the Tshwane 10K in her sights.
Cherop will return to action at the sold-out Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday 23 August, carrying the confidence of a stunning 30:43 victory in Durban last month.
The 22-year-old produced a lifetime best on her international 10km debut, upsetting pre-race favourite Brenda Jepchirchir and announcing herself with a finish-line flourish.
“The 10km course was amazing and the race was very well organised. I wasn’t expecting to win. I was aiming for a podium finish, only to find myself in a winning position,” Cherop said.
“I think I won because I believed in my training.”
That belief now faces a sterner examination in Tshwane, where Cherop will confront another high-quality field and the demands of racing at altitude.
She knows the script cannot be copied and pasted from Durban.
“It feels good to run with champions. I am still gaining more experience on how to run 10km. So I want to run my own race and do my best.”
It is a quietly confident approach from an athlete whose first international 10km outing produced a result loud enough to turn heads across the road-running world.
Cherop has the speed to light the fuse. Tshwane will test her tactical patience and ability to manage the pressure of arriving as a favourite.
“Doreen’s performance in Durban was a great introduction to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, and we’re excited to see what she can produce when she takes on the challenging Tshwane course,” Meyer said.
“We’re expecting another exciting battle for the podium in Tshwane.”
The 2026 series has already produced serious fireworks. Adriaan Wildschutt won Gqeberha in 27:47, Brenda Jepchirchir claimed the women’s race in 30:15 and Joshua Cheptegei scorched Durban in 27:19. The Cape Town event was cancelled because of a severe weather forecast.
Tshwane is next.
Cherop has already shown she can finish with the champagne.
The Vodacom Bulls are loading up for an All Blacks ambush at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, combining returning Springbok muscle with a pair of overseas-tested backs capable of injecting serious X-factor.
The recipe is clear: add international steel to the pack, then let Curwin Bosch and Thaakir Abrahams bring the fizz.
Bosch starts at flyhalf after two seasons with Brive in France, where the 29-year-old says he rediscovered the freedom that made him one of South Africa’s most naturally gifted attacking players.
“It’s amazing to be back in South Africa,” Bosch said. “The two seasons I spent in France were really good for me, but there’s no place like home.”
His French adventure was a mental reset.
“It was so good for me mentally to spend a bit of time in France and just get the shackles off and get back to doing what I do best, and that’s play rugby.”
Bosch believes the experience stripped away the noise and restored his instinctive game.
“There were no sideshows and no distractions. I could just focus on playing good rugby.”
“I just felt a lot more free. The last couple of seasons I spent in South Africa, I felt boxed a little bit.”
“That time in France freed me up. It took me back to how you play rugby at school. You see the space and you play the space. That’s when I’m at my best.”
Now the stage could hardly be bigger.
“It’s probably an opportunity of a lifetime to test yourself against the second-best team in the world,” Bosch said.
On the wing, Abrahams offers another attacking spark. The former Sharks and Munster winger returns to the Bulls with speed to burn and the ability to turn half-chances into highlight-reel material.
Together, Bosch and Abrahams give the Bulls a backline with genuine unpredictability.
Good morning 😉
🇿🇦 The Sheriff and Grobbies are back from Argentina and will get a run off the bench against the All Blacks tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/SkQwjdmaqA
Both have had a single training session with the Bulls.
“It’s great to have them with us, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” coach Johan Ackermann said.
Jaundre Schoeman and Mpilo Gumede make way in the match-day squad.
Captain Marcell Coetzee leads a pack containing plenty of experience, while Hanro Liebenberg returns to South Africa after his stint with Leicester Tigers.
Willie le Roux adds another Springbok presence at fullback, with Embrose Papier and Jeandré Rudolph providing tempo and thrust.
The numbers make for sobering reading. New Zealand have won three of the four meetings since 1949. The Bulls’ solitary victory came in 1976, when Northern Transvaal edged the All Blacks 29-27.
Almost 50 years later, Loftus gets another crack at rugby folklore.
The Bulls have brought the Boks for ballast and the overseas returnees for fireworks.
Now they need the whole package to explode.
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alu Tshakweni. Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene.
New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor (captain), 1 Xavier Numia Bench: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Emoni Narawa
Date: Saturday, August 15 Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT; 05.00 Sunday, August 16 NZST) Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Matthew Carley (England) TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
George Kusche has conquered the Comrades Marathon. Now the reigning champion wants to find out whether his legs still have enough sting to mix it with the 10km specialists.
Kusche will line up at the sold-out Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on 23 August, with Kenya’s Salem Kibet arriving with victory firmly in his sights.
The 28-year-old Kusche has never been a one-distance pony. A sub-four-minute mile and 13:28.95 5000m personal best from his US NCAA days provided the speed foundation for his road-running career.
A 28:56 10km in Gqeberha in 2024 was followed by a 2:20:12 marathon debut in Cape Town and fourth place at last year’s Soweto Marathon.
Then came his Comrades masterpiece.
George Kusche is set to tackle the Tshwane 10k in his home town Pretoria. PHOTO CREDIT: Action Photo
Kusche clocked 5:15:56 on 14 June to obliterate the Up Run record by more than eight minutes. It was an ultra-marathon performance with a sprinter’s heartbeat underneath it.
Now he wants to put that speed back under the microscope.
“It’s very important for me to run a fast 10km because I train as a marathon athlete year-round and then I switch to Comrades-specific training in March,” Kusche said.
“And if you want to be a good marathoner, you must be able to run a good 10km. So I’m hoping to be able to run a good race at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K. I’d love to see if I can run sub-30 minutes, which should be a good time at altitude. I’m curious to see how well I can do. I’m in decent shape and I’m really looking forward to this.”
A sub-30-minute run could put Kusche in the thick of the action, although Tshwane’s hills have a habit of turning confident runners into humble pedestrians. Only 10 men broke 30 minutes in last year’s race.
Kibet knows the terrain and the pace required.
Joshua Cheptegei and Salem Kibet in action at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in July this year. PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Grote
The Kenyan arrives after running a lifetime-best 27:29 for second behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei in Durban last month. He now wants to move one place higher.
“My target is to improve on my performance from Durban and compete for the win,” Kibet said.
“Finishing second in Durban was not easy, especially running alongside a great athlete like Joshua Cheptegei. That experience taught me a lot. I thank God for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to giving my best in Tshwane.”
Stillwater Sports managing director Michael Meyer believes the meeting of Kusche’s endurance and Kibet’s speed could add serious spice to the Pretoria showdown.
“George Kusche’s decision to test himself over 10km against a field of established specialists adds another fascinating dimension to what is shaping up to be a highly competitive Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K,” Meyer said.
“He has already shown that he has the speed and endurance to compete at the highest level, and it will be exciting to see what he can produce over 10km after his record-breaking Comrades victory.”
Kusche brings the endurance. Kibet brings the velocity. Tshwane supplies the hills.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Ash Barty will return to the Icons Series when she lines up for Team World against Team South Africa atThe Links at Fancourtin December.
Barty was announced on National Women’s Day as the latest addition to José María Olazábal’s 14-player squad for the Icons Cup South Africa, which takes place from 11 to 13 December.
The former world No 1 will take on the men in three days of team match-play golf, bringing a two handicap and previous Icons Series experience to the contest.
Barty competed at the 2022 Icons Cup New York, where she produced a strong winning record. Her return adds one of the world’s most accomplished multi-sport athletes to a field already packed with sporting heavyweights.
Her tennis CV needs little introduction. Barty won the French Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open before retiring in 2022 while ranked No 1 in the world.
On the golf course, her competitive instincts remain sharp.
Olazábal’s side will face an increasingly formidable Team South Africa captained by four-time Major winner Ernie Els. AB de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Butch James and Vernon Philander have already been confirmed for the hosts.
The format promises to put sporting reputations on the scorecard. Golf has a habit of exposing even the smallest crack in concentration, with every tee shot capable of opening the door and every missed putt capable of slamming it shut.
For Barty, the challenge will be familiar territory in one respect: pressure.
Her return gives the Icons Cup another compelling storyline as the fairways become a meeting point for athletes whose careers were forged in cricket, rugby, football and tennis.
The full line-ups are still being assembled, with further announcements expected in the coming weeks.
The Links at Fancourt will host the 28-player contest, with the event set to be broadcast internationally.
For Barty, the target will be clear. Bring the Grand Slam temperament, trust the golf swing and let the scorecard do the talking.
