A boccia athlete from Bloemfontein who is now studying at the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, in Welkom, won gold in the first-ever Northern Cape Boccia Interprovincial Tournament that took place over the weekend of 2 September.
Karabo Maropedi took first place in the BC3 class in the tournament at the Kimberley-based Elizabeth Conradie School for learners with physical disabilities.
The competition on 2 and 3 September saw some of the best boccia athletes from six provinces competing in the BC1, BC2 and BC3 class.
Amongst them were Maropedi and Elanza Jordaan from Brackenfell in the Western Cape – the two of them are the South African BC3 class pair who qualified earlier this year for participation in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
Five athletes who competed in July at the World Boccia Africa Regional Championship in Cairo were also present; this included Maropedi and Jordaan.
Johann van Heerden, boccia convenor in the Northern Cape, says boccia is a technical game that requires specific and practised skills.
Olympic qualifier Jordaan said in an earlier interview with TygerBurger, a Western Cape-based community newspaper of Media24, that a player has to think quickly to determine a strategy, as you have to play six balls in six minutes. She said boccia requires the ability to plan well, stamina and stress management.
After two days of exactly that, Kamogelo Selebano from the North West won the gold medal in the BC1 class.
Lefi Kgosimolao from Gauteng won silver, and Seipati Majoe from the North West bronze.
In the BC2 class, Brett Daikin from the Eastern Cape won gold, Liakath Aziz from Gauteng silver, and Moleo Mongwakgotla from the North West bronze.
Morapedi from the Free State is the gold medal winner in the BC3 class, Jordaan won silver, and FC Nel from the Northern Cape won bronze.
