Sports stars strut their success at annual dinner

Jacques Viljoen's fire performance in fencing has earned him the UCT Sportsperson of the Year title at the university's annual Sports Awards Dinner on 23 October.

Ranked number one fencer in South Africa and 73rd in the world, Viljoen lifted the Jamison Cup, as the award is called, which was also contested by karate chart-topper Thabiso Nkile, boulderer Marijus Smigelskis, water polo stars Andre James Ridley and Laura Barrett, as well as rugby player Martin Dirk Muller and canoeist Michael Watson.

Viljoen (pictured) is undoubtedly a rising star in fencing.

He has just returned from Turkey where he represented South Africa at the World Fencing Championships, and was part of a University Sports South Africa (USSA) team that competed at the World Student Games in Serbia in August. That was after he won a trophy and five gold medals at the USSA Fencing Championships in June.

Other winners at the UCT Sports Council event were:

• The Karate Club, named Club of the Year
• Jessica Ellis of the Tennis Club, who won the transformation category
• Judo star Nico Louw, who was named Best First Year
• Julia Chen of the Mountain and Ski Club, who won the Landstem Trophy for Performance of the Year, and
• The Rugby Under 20 A team, who won the Butterworth Trophy for Team of the Year.

John Donald, manager of Student Sport & Recreation, said the event was well received with a broad representation from different sport codes, and good representation from men and women.

"I think nobody can be disappointed about the winners. They all deserved it," he said.

Former international footballer Lucal Radebe delivered "a modest, down-to-earth and inspirational talk" on how he rose above all challenges to captain Bafana Bafana and Leeds United.