Lenasia Cricket Club (LCC) is once more on the right track after obtaining a new executive at its Annual General Meeting on Sunday, September 27. The Lenasia Cricket Stadium was full of officials, players and well-wishers.

This move marks a new era of cricket here in Lenasia, as the incumbent officials come with tons of experience and the new ones with a lot of new ideas. It’s about the experience mixed with raw talent in administration.

The Gauteng Cricket Board will start their season the following Sunday, October 4.

One has to pay a special tribute to former President, Mohsin Ahmed who kept the club’s flag flying high and alive in trying times. He now serves as treasurer of the new committee.

Former cricket and soccer great, Azhar ‘Jomo’ Saloojee, leads the new pack as president and comes in with tons of know how in administration and playing affairs.

His deputy is Suren Sewnuvan, another one that has the juniors at heart and a die-hard clubman. Saligram Krish Pillay, a newcomer with brand new ideas, will be the livewire (secretary) of the club

Playing Affairs will be managed by Ebrahim Asvat and Thaven Pillay, while the rest of the board is made up of prolific names such as Hussein Ayoob, Adil Gabroo, Ali Mather, Ziyaad Asvat, M Farouk Mohammed and Haroon Nosarka.

Goolam Hoosain ‘Chops’ Surtee and Faizel Rajah have been co-opted into the executive.

This new structure shows a wealth of experience, and passion for the game and the community, which will ensure local cricket will reach new heights. Their new mission is to nurture the youth in Lenasia and surrounding areas.

“Local is lekker,” said Jomo Saloojee. “The Board has a very important role to play within the community because sport becomes the counter balance to a community facing the challenges of drugs, alcohol, obesity, etc. Furthermore, we would like to see families taking the opportunity to have a day out in the sun and supporting our kids.

“Our job as the Lenasia Cricket Club is to safeguard the future of the game and ensure an even playing field when it comes to development cricket,” said Saloojee.

There are sure to be some interesting developments as the fresh faced club sets about changing the face of cricket in Lenasia.

More good things are set for those playing under the banner of the LCC. Currently the club has a team in the Presidents B structure, Presidents League, SU2, SU4 and SU6 senior teams, including junior teams in all the divisions.

The club is also looking for financial backers for their massive structure. Interested business partners and those wishing to join the club, can contact Miyashni Pillay on 078-021-48967 or Saloojee on 082-888-1729.

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THE profound words of world icon and peace apostle, Mahatma Gandhi: ‘The future depends on what we do in the present,” were advocated by the CEO of the Rising Sun Community Newspapers, Vijay Maharaj and team who completed the historical 750km peace walk on Friday.

The gruelling 14-day walk which commenced at the Lenasia office of The Rising Sun Newspapers ended on an emotional note when the 16 participants completed the final leg of the race at the Gandhi Settlement in Inanda.

Speaking about the challenges faced along the route, Vijay Maharaj said, “My mindset, willpower and determination to complete this walk coupled with the magnificent support I received from the various communities, motivated me to continue with this initiative. I took every step of every kilometre of the walk which was in excess of 750km.    We experienced aches and discomfort throughout the walk and the excruciating pain on our shin bones and the blisters were our greatest challenge. The scorching heat, rain, the different types of road surfaces and the traffic on the roads also contributed to making the walk seem impossible to complete at times.

“During the walk, I also slept on the concrete floor in Gandhi’s prison cell in Volkrust, Mpumalanga. Our support team was amazing and we were also fortunate to be accommodated in the various towns.

Residents also showed their support by joining us for a few kilometres along the route and this motivated us to continue with our mission to promote peace and raise funds for the Gandhi Development Trust.”

The management and staff of The Rising Sun Newspaper extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to the sponsors who contributed to the celebratory event held in Chatsworth, Reddy’s Bakery, Tommys, Indian Delight, Halfway Toyota Malanda, Enchanted Gardens, ABI aQuelle, Food for Life, Gift of the Givers, KZN Oils, Orange Grove, Pastor Aka, Life Chatsmed, Memory Makers, Chatsworth Athletic Club, the Blue Marlin Hotel, Eastwave Radio. Lenz FM, Shahim of Lethal Forces, Shuabe of Pulsate Ambulance Services, Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi and all other participants and sponsors in making the event a success.  A heartfelt gratitude also goes to all our host sponsors along the route. A special acknowledgement also goes to the dignitaries, representatives from various community based organisations and residents who supported the celebratory function hosted for the participants. You can still support this worthy cause by sending a SMS with the word peace followed by your full name to 38270.

The SMS will cost R10 and free SMS’s do not apply. All funds raised will be donated to the Gandhi Development Trust.

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Nine Lenasians, riding under the name ‘Team Star’, formed part of 600 quad bike and two-wheel motor cycle riders, who took part in the 12 annual Quads 4 Quads event which began on October 1. ‘Team Star’, comprises Zunaid Seedat, Nazir Abdul, Nazeer Chand, Ismail Gabru, Hassesn Ebrahim, Ismaeel Ravat, Zahid Sayed, Shaheen Hafajee and Zaakir Hafajee, participated with several quadriplegic and paraplegic riders on adapted quads.

The first stage started from Johannesburg to Durban, and ended at Cane Cutters in Ballito on Sunday, October 4. The return ride started on October 8, arriving at Carnival City on October 11.

Facing around 250km in eight hours each day is a challenge for both able and disabled riders. To date, the event has raised over R6 million for QASA (Quad Para Association of South Africa.

The event, which was a family ride, encouraged everyone to get involved, whether by helping at the daily rest stops or joining the riders off-road.

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According to Nazir Abdul, the team has always wanted to join the event and had the pleasure of doing so this year.

Ari Seirlis, the CEO of QASA, as well as other well-known quadriplegics including Phil Case, the financial director of ‘Dial a Nerd’, participated in this year’s event.

This was the 11th time Ari has participated on his adapted Polaris RZR and Phil’s fifth on his CanAmm Maverick with hand controls.

The race represents the spirit of QASA and quadriplegics everywhere by their firm belief that having a physical disability does not affect their ability to endure and to be the best they can be. QASA is responsible for setting up skills development programmes, employment projects and independent living opportunities to allow quadriplegics and paraplegics to integrate into mainstream society with equal rights.

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Some members of the Lenasia Athletic Club took on the Trirock Triathlon in very hot and humid conditions of Durban on Sunday, October 4 with so many other entries for this gruelling race.

Those members include seasoned members of Bhavik Ganda, (his brother, Janesh, another regular at triathlon was on holiday in Iceland), Anant Morar and Ashrauf ‘Archie’ Moosa.

Bhavik Ganda has been invited to participate in the Sandton Dualthlon on Sunday, October 25 as an elite participant.

The Triathlon includes a Half Iron distance triathlon in the heart of Durban. Then the swim takes place at the Bay of Plenty followed by the cycle race which heads out to Ballito, taking the best of the KZN coastal route. Last is the flat and a bit fast race including three loops course that take you back to the finish. A total of 113km for participating athletes.

Says Ganda, “ The race was good, it was an extremely hot day which affected most athletes as the day went on.

I used the race as a training race as I shall be racing in the Sandton Duathlon on the Sunday, October 25. Having been invited to race as an elite for the first time for that race so wanted to go out and enjoy the race in Durban.

The swim started from Bay of Plenty and exited outside of Suncoast Casino. The sea was as flat as we would get in Durban, which made it a pleasant swim. I came out the water in 34 minutes.

The cycle was a 90km cycle to Ballito and back which I did in under 2 hours 30 minutes.

The 21km run started off well where I was running a comfortable 4min/km until the last 6km where the heat got to me and I cramped. I was on course for an age group podium but ended up finishing 4th.

I completed the race in 4 hours 44 minutes.”

Anants kids, Abhay and Ashay were unfortunate as the Urban Rock, triathlon for kids, was cancelled due to only six kids entries were received. They were scheduled the following Sunday in Germiston. That too was cancelled

Anant’s race on the other hand had a few hiccups, swim was great and so was run but cycle had three punctures and they could only fix two of the punctures. So he completed 60km instead of 90km.

Archie Moosa had a bad experience during the cycle part of the race as he fell off the bike into the race, this fracturing his shoulder and had to be hospitalised.

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Cycle Club Lenasia (CCL) enjoyed a weekend of Cycling Extravaganza as 26 members took too two different events over two days. It was a cycling feast for bikers on this Lenasia Club.

On Saturday, October 17 it was the Bestmed Satellite Classic scenic route 66 over the Hartebeespoort Dam, and the next day, Sunday, October 18, some took to the streets from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in the 25^th edition of the Tsogo Sun Amashova Classic.

Cool conditions presented an ideal start for the Bestmed Satiellite Classic, but things were bound to really heat up by the time Hekpoort Hill beckoned. Riders’ fitness levels were tested at “Vrekpoort” with an average gradient of 7-9% when all groups break up.

The race gave you the option of three distances from 106km, 80km and 60km. CCL riders participated in the 106 and 80km.

The 106km was won by Africa Games gold medallist Meron Teshome (2:27:27).

CCL finishers were Moosa Patel with a time 3:20, Ibrahim Bagas (3:30), Ebrahim Chohan (3:33). In the shorter but popular 80km the winning time was 2:14 by Travis Barret. CCL riders times were as follows: Mohammed (Tico) Takolia (2:27), Zubair Mohamed (2:52), Yusuf Suliman (2:56) and CCL’s only female rider Nazerine Bulbulia (3:28).

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Dharmesh Rawjee.

Down to KwaZulu-Natal, CCL riders rode over the hills from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic 2015 celebrated its 29th anniversary of being the oldest classic cycle race, with having 4141 finishers for the 106km route and 852 finishers for the 65km route.

The uniqueness of the Amashova Durban Classic is that the race starts in one town and ends in another. The 106km route starts at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and ends at the Sun Coast casino in Durban. The 65km route started in Cato Ridge and also ended at the Sun coast casino in Durban.

One would imagine that if you’re going from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, it would be a downhill race, but it was quite the opposite. From the time you depart PMB, you are constantly climbing through to the valley of 1000 hills. The first 60kms of the 106km route is just climbing. The only variation is the degree of the climb. A fair amount of the route overlaps the route run by the Comrades marathon.

The 106km route was won by Nolan Hoffman for the second time (2:24:54).

Cycle Club Lenasia had 10 cyclists taking part in the 106 km race and one cyclist taking part in the 65km route. For most of the CCL cyclists, this was their first attempt at the Amashova, and the 106 km route. Two of the ten CCL cyclists, Hemant Kana and Kamlesh Valla achieved their sub 3’s both crossing the finish line side by side in a time of 2:47:47. The remaining seven cyclists also posted their best times. One of the CCL cyclists, Ziyaad, had a mechanical failure on his bike, which prevented him from finishing the race.

The 65km route was won by Christopher Von Thun in a time of 1:48:10. In this race CCL was represented by Dharmesh who finished in a time of 2:12:55

Cycle Club Lenasia is making some good progress towards next months 94.7 Cycle Challenge. To show their support towards the Ammaarah Paremedics Bursary Fund, CCL will be riding for this cause this time round.

CCL urge Lenasians to join in this campaign.

Bestmed Satellite Classic – 106km

Moosa Patel (3:20:24), Ibrahim Bagas (3:30:28), Ebrahim Chohan (3:33:00), Muhammad NabeelBagas (3:43:33), Cassim Abramia (4:01:24), Ismail Rasool (4:19:29), Dinesh Amtha (4:19:29).

80km – Mohammed Yunus Takolia (2:27:58), Zubair Mohamed (2:52:51), Yusuf Suliman (2:56:51), Naeem Mohamed (3:04:06), Jan Swarts (3:07:29), Mohamed Mayet (3:08:42), Nazarine Bulbulia (3:28:45), Ismail Essay (3:38:36), Mahomed-Hanif Ebrahim Mahomed (3:57:48), Irshaad Mohamed ( 4:26:27).

Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic – 106km:

Hemant Kana (2:47:47), Kamlesh Valla (2:47:47), Yusuf Waja (3:28:49), Lee Anthony KeitCrotz (3:51:47), Aadil Kajee (4:13:13), Dinesh Amtha (4:27:10), Nizaam Sayed (4:48:08). Yusuf Sarang (4:58:10), Naeem Ayob( 5:16:23)

65KM: Dharmesh Rawjee (2:12)

The post CCL Race Feast – Two days, two events appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

A squad of 20 swimmers from the Learn-to-Swim-Splash School of Aquatics braved the cold waters and took the plunge to compete in a Fun Gala hosted by Lenasia Aquatics Swimming Academy (LASA) on Sunday, October 15, at the Extension 5 Pools in Gazelle Street.
The swimmers, between 4 to 11 years of age, competed against other Learn-to-Swim clubs as well as registered competitive swimmers.
Clubs from Lenasia and other areas participated in the event. The Lenasia group proved has themselves a force to be reckoned with in time to come, as they splashed their way to victory and collected ribbons in many races.

They certainly made waves by bringing home seven medals including – one gold, four silver, and two bronze. The  Super-Seven medallists were: Yumna Salijee (9), Ahmad Saeed Hassim (7), Azraa Rassool (8), Habeebah Ebrahim (9), Mohamed Lutchkaa (9), Muhamed Mohamed (7) and Samiyah Sheikh (8).

“It was definitely Fun in the Sun amidst much cheer by the strong support of the swimmers’ highly charged families. Team spirit was high amongst the many kids and their families; especially the team which was sportily and noticeably clad in stunning lime green and black kits.
“Instructors Sudhir Lalla and Irfaan Essof, who encouraged the swimmers, must be thanked for their tireless efforts in training the them up to this level.
“Thanks must also go out to Sabreen and Uwais who assisted our coaches during training as well. Indeed it was a proud moment for us to excel in this gala. Our swimmers took on the challenge of a cold 25m swim as compared to the comfort of training in an indoor facility with warm water and just 6m length,” said head coach, Bibi Fatima Moola.
“Team Splash In is certainly looking forward to the next gala,” she added.
The rest of the teams, including the four years old and others really had a great time and found competition is very good for their progress. They will be hard at training and definitely will be more attentive to instructions from their coach.
Parents also found the Gala to be a splendid learning curve for the kids. They too had a great time.

The post Splashing good times at fun gala appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

It was blistering hot, with temperatures reaching 34 deg celcius, when a few members of the Lenasia Athletic Club and other athletes took on the 5150 Germiston Triathlon on Sunday, November,  where a very large field of athletes struggled in very extreme weather conditions.

It was no easy feat for the participants as it was gruelling all the way.

Athletes started off  with the 1.5 km swim. The gusting winds transformed the usually placid lake into a mini whirlpool and the strong currents pushed many swimmers off course. Because of these difficulties, some athletes had to withdraw without completing the swim leg.

Next was the 40km cycle. Unfortunately here too, things got a bit tougher. With a strong headwind and crosswinds at times, cyclists had to hang on for dear life.

The running leg comprising a total of 10km including a  3/4 loop was probably the easiest part of the triathlon. Because of good crowd support, the kilometres seemed to fly. The course is flat and undemanding.

The event was well organised and well marshalled overall. This year the fun tri-group comprised of more than 20 athletes, including a few novices.

Congratulations to the following athletes: Janesh Ganda who came 8th in his category in 2hrs27min, Muhammed Motala 2.47, Ahmed Badat 2,49, Imraan Sallie 2.5, Nadi Khan 2.54, Zunaid Bulbulia 3.00, Zane Gamiet 3.09, Hemal Kana 3.12, Farhana Madhi 3.14, Aasif Hassim 3.15, Anant Morar 3.30, Aadil Asmal 3.31, Muhammed Makda 3.36, Azhar Shah 3.57, Moosa Kola 3.57, Vishal Kanjee 3.59, Bushan Ravjee 4.01, Ahmed Salajee 4.01 and Yousuf Ahmed 4.32.

Amina Dindar and Farhana Madhi – did the Sun City swim, 1600m/mile on Saturday, October 24, while, on Sunday, October 18, it was the Amashova Race for Mohammed Bharoochi and Farhana Madhi.

Farhana did a great time of 3hours 20 min, while Mohammed, as always, did a sub 3 hours.

The post LAC athletes in 5150 Germiston Triathlon appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

The Cycle Club Lenasia saw 31 of its riders did the recent 94.7km Momentum Cycle Challenge that was held in Johannesburg on Sunday, November 15. The Lenasia riders were keen to join this charity drive and they went about raising R37 000.00 for the Ammarah Paramedic Bursary Fund. The fund will use all the monies it collected in that period for funding future potential paramedics through varsity. Already four persons have been earmarked for the first lot of students for the new year.

The fund has also teamed up with Awqaf Sa to keep this fund going.

Thanks to CCL who have raised such an amount.

On Tuesday, November 17 members of the club handed the cheque over to Shokat Khan (Sitting – Extreme Left in whites).

The post Cycle Club Lenasia Donates R37 000 to the Ammarah Paramedics Bursary Fund. appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

Lenasia Bowling Club (LBC) is showing great signs in their recent performances as the season of the Johannesburg Bowling Associations got underway at the end of last month.

Playing in the fourth division of the Association, Lenasia members are holding their own against some still opposition.

The LBC, who did not perform that well last year due to rain and other factors of absent members, resulted in losing some games and then sharing points due to weather factors.

A great start to the season bodes well for the club who now are a force to be noticed in games.

Skipper, Dinkar Manga said, “Our opening game on Saturday, October 31 on our home turf against Old Edwardians saw us win handsomely by 15 points to three.

“Our teams were just great, the first team won 5-0, the second, won 4-1 and the third team won 3-2. We also gained a further three additional points for winning overall by 85 to 5 shots.

“The weekend after that on Saturday, November 7, against Morningside D we were beaten 12 – 6. Here the first team lost 1-4; the second team won 4-1 while the third team also lost 1-4. The Lenasians lost this match 62 shots to our 42.

“This past Saturday, November 14, again on our home ground we showed some mettle against Jeppe Quandom B whom we beat 12.5 to 5.5 points.

“The first team won 5-0, the second 4-1 while the third team lost their encounter by a close margin. The Lenasians won this match 62 to 57 to again get the overall three additional points.

“On Saturday, November 21 we faced Old Parktonians B at their grounds, where we lost by 5 points to 13. The first team lost 1-4, the second team lost 0-5, but the third team manage to win 4-1,” said Manga.

Manga continued, “Yes, our membership is doing so well despite losing a few games at the start of this season and this is good for our bowls. We are inspired by these performances of our membership and it is very encouraging.

“We hope this trend that we started does not fade as the season progresses because later in the season we tend to give priority to other social activities and then our games suffer.”

The LBC played their last league game for this year against Protea Sports A on Saturday, November 28 on their home turf winning 12 points to 6. The first team won 5-0, the second team won 4-1 but the third team lost 5-0.

The LBC is lying in good stead at the 4^th division log of the Johannesburg Bowls Association. The JBA league competition will resume next year, January 23.

The post Lenasia Bowls are making a great start to the season appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

Are you interested in pursuing career as a professional footballer?

Lenasia Soccer Academy (LSA) will be hosting trials for the U17 squad. Players will be representing Lenasia at an Academy Level, playing in an elite league against PSL Academy teams. This will prepare players for the LSA promotion team and Castle League Teams. This is an exciting opportunity to obtain maximum exposure and gain experience at the top level. Players from this level are usually given preference to various scholarships at tertiary institutions.

What are the requirements?
Provide us with a short CV highlighting your football career thus far, including information such as date of birth (player must be born in 1999), copy of your ID, playing position, clubs previously played for and highlight any accolades attained with school or club team.

What are we looking for?
Quite simply; a love of the game, talent, commitment and dedication. We understand that players come in all shapes and sizes, with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. We take into account a player’s technical, tactical, physical, psychological and social attributes and our players are monitored by  sports scientists.

This is an Open Trial and will be held on January 30 at the Lenasia Soccer Stadium at 9am.  Interested parties can email: Fehmida Moosa, fmoosa@commercezone.co.za on or before  January 27.

The post Are you interested in pursuing a career as a professional footballer? appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

Cycle Club Lenasia (CCL) is back with a bang for season 2016 which kicked off with the ‘oiling and greasing of cyclists’ who burnt tar in a race that took place on Sunday, January 31.

The road cycling 2016 season in Gauteng opened up with the Value Logistics Fast One race that effectively marked the end of the festive season and all relaxation. Many cyclists use this race as a barometer to ascertain their fitness levels and improve it, if needs be.

This event was held at the Midvaal Raceway in Meyerton with a large turnout of cyclists.

The weather conditions were  ideal, and many cyclists took full advantage and improved on their last years finishing times.

CCL cyclists who were training throughout the festive season, came across hundreds of other cyclists who were also training during that period.

This is an indication that the sport of cycling is definitely growing in leaps and bounds.

The training throughout the festive period, coupled with great weather, led to excellent finishing times. The men’s race was won by Nolan Hoffman in a time of 2:06:01 which was a 3:22 minute improvement on his 2015 wining time. The ladies race was won by An-Li Kachelhoffer in a time of 2:32:19. There were 2 258 finishers in the 97 km route and 640 finishers in the 49km route.

“Thirty cyclists from CCL took part in the Fast One race. The growing CCL team had entrants in all different groups. Two of CCLs riders, Hemant Kana and Kamlesh Valla have acquired their domestic racing licence which now qualifies them to effectively race.

“CCL as a team is promoting cycling in Lenasia and surrounding areas. At the same time, members are committed to improving their own performance.

The top five finishers for the CCL team were Kamlesh Valla – 2:18:35, Muhammad Nabeel Bagas – 2:31:23, Hemant Kana – 2:32:53, Moosa Patel -2:32:55 and Faizel Abrahams – 2:45:18. Newcomer Faizel Abrahams and Taahir Hamid got their Sub 3’s as well,” said a club spokesperson.

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PHILLIP “Time bomb” Ndou, a respected boxing heavyweight will face Ntuthuko Memela in the much anticipated fight at Kibler Park on Friday, February 26.

Ndou is known for his punching power, having won his first 25 fights by knockout or stoppage, and currently boasting an 83% knockout ratio.

A confident “Time bomb” as he is known, is pursuing the IBF Africa championship title. He says the welter-weight title is very important to him.

He dubs the fight as: “it was signed in heaven”.

Ndou is sponsored by Grand Auctions Lenasia and Skyline Promotions, they are positive that he will bring home the title.

Managing Director of Grand Auctions Imraan Moosa says Ndou is going to make it and he is the man.

“The focus is the fight and nothing else,” says Ndou.

Ndou has various titles under his belt such as: WBA fight, WBU World, Pound for Pound Fight amongst others. He has fought Floyd Mayweather in a featherweight fight but Floyd knocked him out in Round 7 on November 1, 2003. However, that was not his most challenging fight in his boxing career – Caiphus Baloyi was.

“Right now I’m not even under pressure because the person I’m going to fight is not well known, but I’m going to win,” says the confident Time bomb.

Ndou started boxing at the tender age of six in Venda, Limpopo. He has participated in the Common Wealth Games and the Olympics.

He says those who are following in his footsteps should not imitate him but be themselves.

“Don’t run away from questions ask. If you want guidance you ask and build yourself,” he added.

He is supported by Stephen Msimango former mini-fly SA champion, and IBF Africa President Mr Ngoyi.

The post Ready to fight appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

The Atlantis Target Team of 21 swimmers worked tirelessly for months, training mornings and evenings to prepare for what would be seven tough days of competition.

Finally, the Regionals Age Group Championships had arrived and first up were the Level 2 swimmers who competed at Ellis Park from  March 28 to the March 31. If anyone ever doubted the results of all the training, this was put to rest at the very first event, when Tahir Essof cut 17 seconds off his 400m Freestyle time. This set the tone for the rest of the nationals as every swimmer went on to post new  personal best times (PBTs).

At Ellis Park, Atlantis had just 6 swimmers competing, and on Day 2, this small team managed to make 7 finals, with Amarah Rangraze bagging a bronze for the 100m Breast and Tahir a Silver for the 200m Freestyle. Day 3 was even better with 11 Finals and the same pair of Amarah and Tahir achieving Gold in the 50m Breast and 100m Freestyle respectively.

On the final day of the Level 2 Regionals, Atlantis’s Amarah Rangraze and Shaheerah Seedat, swam a remarkable dead heat as both claimed the Silver in the 200m Breast. Tahir went on to complete his medal haul with a Silver in the 50m Freestyle and Gold in the 50m Butterfly finals.

Not to be outdone, 15 Atlantis Level 1 swimmers took to the pool in Germiston from April 1 to April 3. On Day 1, they made 17 finals and excitement buzzed around Atlantis’ Gazebo and there was quiet optimism amongst swimmers, coaches and parents as the floodlights came on for the evening races. This was not misplaced as the team achieved 3 Gold and 2 Bronze medals. The excitement was not over as the relay teams went on to claim silver in the 4x50m boys and 4X50 mixed medley races.

On Day 2, Atlantis swimmers qualified for 13 finals. The screams and cheers that echoed around the stands spurred Isa Adam, Faraaz Khan, Shazia Surtee and Muhammed Adam on to bring in Gold and Silver Medals. The atmosphere was electrifying as the relay teams took to the blocks. The cheering fans emptied their lungs while the swimmers filled theirs in anticipation of what was to come. ‘Take your Marks,’ and Beep off they went. First up were the boys in the 4x100m Free and after a brief two minutes the race was over with Atlantis sealing second place on the podium. Next were the girls who were now also challenging the boy’s team. Beep and away they went, one swimmer after another, careful not to DQ on the dive and into the last sprint. ‘Click’, yes another silver was achieved. Both relay teams were on the podium once again.

By Day 3, which was actually Day 7 for the coaches, you could feel the strain. The last day of competition, the last day of months of training and preparation; the last day of the season had arrived. Again Atlantis swimmers proved themselves by qualifying for 14 more finals. Preliminaries were over, coaches and swimmers were tired and parents were nervous. Everything from here on would be a bonus as the team had already achieved much beyond their expectation. As the sun set and the lights came on, the excited crowd filled the air with their encouragement. In no time Atlantis brought in 2 more Gold medals, another 3 silvers and all three relay teams bagged bronze. This was the cherry on the top. In the end Atlantis finished the championship with 7 Gold, 10 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. Isa Adam, Thabo Yona and Faraaz Khan also achieved their Level 2 qualifying times for the new season.

In the team standings, at Level 2, Atlantis competed against 60 clubs, including teams from Africa and with just 6 swimmers, finished in a credible 18th place. In the Level 1 Championships, there were 79 clubs and Atlantis finished in a fantastic 6th place with just 15 swimmers.

The achievement has left everyone, including competing coaches, in awe of this small club and supporters and parents are ecstatic about the performance of their swimmers. More remarkable than the bag of medals is the effort that was put in by swimmers and coaches, day in and day out for months on end. Atlantis teenagers were waking up at 5am daily, managing their diets and forfeiting socials all to swim amazingly in the finals.

Well Done to Atlantis a remarkable sports club that represents our community.

The post Atlantis bags the medals at SSA Championships appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

Nadi Khan and Anant Morar of the Lenasia Athletic Club, took on their 12th South African Ironman at Hobie Beach, in Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth).

In the race were many of their friends which added to the fun, although the event was classified as a ‘hard’ one.

The race also has the status of African Championships.

With a field of about 33% foreign athletes taking part, there was very much an international flavour. The event, described as the hardest single day endurance event in the world, has a 3.8km sea swim, followed by a hilly 180km bike ride and followed by a full marathon of 42.2km.

Nadi Khan completed the race in 11 hours 25 minutes, covering the swim in 1:14, the 180km bike in 5:56 and the 42.2km in 4 hours 3 minutes. He was followed home by Imraan Sallie in a sub 12 hour finish of 11 hour 56 minutes.

Ahmed Badat looked good and was very pleased with his 12 hour 30 minutes, while Morar did a time of 1:47 for the swim, 7:33 for the bike and 6 hours for the marathon. His finishing time was a comfortable 16 hours 49 minutes. He declared himself ready for Comrades.

Also in the field was novice Faheem Mohammed in 13:45, Gasant Brand 13:59 and Saydeen in 16:23. Doing his second Ironman was Zane Gamiet in a time of 14 hours 33 minutes, Imraan Sardar in a time of 14:58, and Lloyd Langa in a time of 15 hours 26 minutes. Myles did it in 16:27.

“The morning conditions were testing as the sea was full of blue bottles, both Faheem and Zane were stung several times. Despite this they continued and both did well on the day.

Choppy seas, windy conditions during the bike race, and extreme heat on the run meant you did not have an easy day. Despite this many were pleased with their efforts,” said Khan Zane Gamiet (41) of Pietermaritzburg, a mechanic at SAA, who has been doing triathlons for two years connected with the Fun Tri group while swimming at Ellis Park. He started doing triathlons to feel the  ultra endurance events and to raise funds for Kids Haven.

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Nadi Khan.

He started Kung Fu in 1998, but ever since he got into the triathlons, there hasn’t been much time for anything else.

Gamiet, who did it for Kids Haven, added his penny’s worth, “The swim started off very well. About halfway through, I had some issues with the local sea-life (a run-in with a jelly fish) and lost some time. Regardless, I had a pretty decent swim and thoroughly enjoyed it. I tried pushing a bit harder on the bike to make up for lost time.

The first 90km went very well; the next 20km I had to do without water because I lost a water bottle just after the last water point. I continued to push through despite showing slight signs of dehydration. By the end of the bike ride I was already broken. I suppose I overcooked it on the bike and burned myself out. It was hot and I was tired, and the thought of another 42k run was quite challenging.

This is where it started getting difficult. This was where the power of mind took over from the body. I ran the first 15km at a slow steady pace…  all the while feeding off the energy of the amazing crowd and keeping my thoughts on the reason I’m doing it. Kids Haven is a rehabilitation centre for abused and abandoned kids, and I needed to show them that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. So I never stopped moving forward.

Even when things were at their darkest, the thought of quitting never crossed my mind.

The amazing group I trained and raced with provided much support and encouragement. I was soaking up the atmosphere and support from these amazing guys and the crowd.

It was indeed a magical moment crossing that finish line after having so much fun; and of course, most important is the exposure I got for Kids Haven. I can’t wait to register for next year and hopefully improve on my time.”

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The post Nadi and Anant in 12th Ironman appeared first on Rising Sun Lenasia.

MM Stars have a new home – thanks to Alpha Primary School who has made their field available for practice sessions to the young and upcoming players who want to make it to the big time soccer.

MM Stars previously had their sessions at Progress Primary School Grounds. With a stable facility now at a different school matters will be better… and MM Stars has already featured in a tournament at Rietvlei, earlier in the month.

At the tournament the Lenasia boys were up against Academy Lads, and they did well against such opponents.

The exposure was good for the lads and they will get to gauge how far their training is already taking them.

Also, what has come out of the tournament is that MM Stars will now work jointly with the Rietvlei Academy team. This is good for the boys and a great opportunity for them to possibly play in a European tournament.

First, the five-year-olds took to the field and thereafter the under seven and eight year olds.

Six members of the MM Stars, including Martin Moonsamy coach and oversee about 19 of these lads.

Says Moonsamy, “Our programme is getting better; we are about six weeks into this session and it is definitely showing in the performances of the boys. Now they will have much more exposure which will be good for the lads, it will also give us an indication whether our programme is working or not.

I also think that the boys will start to perform once we get more game time and exposure to some good competition.”

MM Stars developmental programme for four to 11 years old is to prepare them for professional football. A part of their development programme is to instil in them the discipline that goes with Pro football.

“It is about time that kids from Lenasia take the game of football seriously. With correct training sessions and expertise we will mould them into good footballers.

“Kids can play for their respective clubs but must attend sessions every Saturday at Alpha School between 8.45am to 10.00am.”

For further information contact Moonsamy on 084-797-5754.

Have a story? contact a reporter on 071-246-3772 or call into the Rising Sun offices on 011-852-0842.

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Lenasia’s Glamour club – Sopranos Cricket Club – still enjoys that title after so many years and now are in second place in the Gauteng Cricket Board after their exceptional performances during the 2016/2017 season.

Losses to Glenvista and inclement weather took its toll on the Lenasia-based side depriving them of capturing league honours. However, Sopranos can still be extremely proud of their campaign and their second place finish.

“Like they say, watch this space,” said skipper Ebrahim Patel.

The club will soon be revealing a new sponsor and other changes.

There were incredible all round and consistent performances, registering many 100 plus opening partnerships, from Ebrahim Lambat and Naeem Nathie at the top of the order.

Contributions came from all round effort with both bat and ball by Daya, schoolboy Tauheed, Aamir, Skipper Patel, Shahid, Minaj, Deep, Bagdadi, Aaqib and Raees.

Captain Ebrahim Patel said, “I am proud of all our guys in the way they have played and turned up this past season. We really looking forward to kickstart 2017/8. To top it all, we have some exciting announcements in the pipeline with a new headline sponsor which will be unveiled soon.

“We experienced a setback before the start of the season. We were extremely saddened by the passing away of one of our players, Abrar Jhibhai, who was murdered. May Allah SWT grant him the highest stages in Jannah, Aameen. We really miss Abrar, let alone as a player, but more as a friend, team mate and brother and for the team to suffer this emotional loss and yet play with such camaraderie and team spirit is really commendable.”

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Aunty Sherina Desai from GCB for all her support and also to Mr. Iqbal Gaffoor for always being there for the boys.”

Have a story? contact a reporter on 076-235-1764 or call into the Rising Sun offices on 011-852-0842.

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Lenasia School Sport (LSS) is back with a bang under a new leader – Myan “Duggy” Naidoo, Principal of Progress Primary School, who was elected on June 6. His appointment will definitely see sports take its rightful place on the sporting and school calander.

With Naidoo at the helm, learners will once more benefit and Lenasia will witness school sports at its best, again.

The Annual General Meeting was postponed indefinitely owing to the fact that only a few people wanted to serve on the executive. Now an executive is in place and sports will be promoted amongst the learners.

Naidoo said, “We are committed to provide a sporting platform for all learners in Lenasia. We realise that sport plays an enormous role in a child’s holistic development.
“The importance of sports in school encompasses more than just the benefit of physical activity. It gives learners an avenue outside the classroom to increase their self-esteem and mental alertness.”

The LSS will be on track on Thursday, August 3, at the start of the new term, where fixtures in soccer, netball, volleyball and other codes will get underway. It is expected to run until the sports body hosts the finals on Saturday, September 16, at Progress Primary School grounds.
The next meeting of the LSS is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, at the Park Primary School Hall.

Full List of Officials:

Chairperson: M. Naidoo (Duggy) – Progress
Primary School Vice Chairperson – L Soobramoney – Alpha Primary School
High School Vice Chairperson: S Sujee – Nirvana Secondary School
General Secretary: W Soobramoney – Impala Primary School
Asst Secretary: M Mia – Flamingo Primary School
Minute Secretary: N Singh – Pentarosa Primary School
Treasurer: A Pachai – Pentarosa Primary School
Asst Treasurer: M Loonat – Lenz High
Stock Master: E Moosa – Lenz High

Sporting Code Coordinators:
Soccer – A Lalloo – Zodiac
Netball – D Moreme – Nirvan
Volleyball – N Singh – Park
Table Tennis – R Patel – Progress
Chess – C Rabotla – Alpha
Cricket – V Singh – Impala
Mini Cricket – Y Vally – Impala
Athletics – A Lalloo  – Zodiac
Cross Country – I Vally – Shari Crest
Rugby – B Choga – Trinity

Zonal Coordinators – Primary School

Zone A (Flamingo, Greyville, Park, Alpha, Model)
D Moonsamy – Alpha
Zone B (Progress, Impala, Pentarosa, Harmony, SBSM)
N Singh – Pentarosa
Zone C (Libra, Zodiac, Apex, Shari Crest)
I Vally – Shari Crest

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At the recent AGM of the Lenasia Bowling Club, the following members were elected.

Chairman- Prabhoo Chetty, Vice Chairman- Maqshood Mohamed, Secretary- Sundra Moodley, Assistant Secretary- Dinkar Manga, Treasurer- Vinoo Negar, Executive Members Imtiaz Kola,  Khandu Gowan and Ravie Lalla. The club’s mission for 2017-18 is to increase its membership, to upgrade the bowling green and to improve the standard of play. There are also plans to erect an outdoor, multipurpose family-friendly facility which includes beach volleyball, an obstacle course and outdoor gym, a jungle gym, and a walking track.

See the gallery here

There will be free coaching for men, women and children. For more information contact Prabhoo on 082-330-9750/ 011-854-7200 or Vinoo on 084-209-5420/ 011-852-4598 or Sundra on 011-070-8998.

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It was all smiles and, of course, a few tears when karateka from all over Gauteng, and a few from Kenya, attended the Mohan Hira Karate Tournament held on Saturday, September 9, at the Park Primary School Hall.
Hussein Kibelolo, from Brazzaville, who is studying Mechanical Engineering in Johannesburg, was present at the tournament.
The winners, the ones with tears were not the losers, but were those who felt pain during the kumite stage of the tournament. The faint-hearted were also part of the participants, but that’s how the game goes.

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Close to 15 senior level karateka, who had a good showing in Durban, where they fared well and gained some good memories and experience, were here present from the Wednesday.
The team was lead by Gabriel Mutuku (Team Manager), Bonn Owili (Head Coach) and Patrick Kiane (Assistance Coach).
What was a bit of a problem was the standard of the refereeing which showed signs of being biasness in some ’fights’.
Participants came from Krugersdorp, Soweto, Alberton, Pretoria, Germiston and Lenasia.
We had a chat with Kibelolo about the referees and this is what he said, “The standard of the refereeing was not so bad and I am sure some of the people will not agree with that. I am happy with my Silver Medal.”
A delighted mother was over the moon when her daughter, Mahdiyah Shar, won two medals in kata and kumite.
Mohan Hira said, “The standard of the competition was generally good and this bodes well for the game. There are some teething problems but the level is increasing all the time. The karateka must ensure that they are ready to move up a level in competition. As your grading goes up so must you. Regular training and keeping fit will ensure one remains focused.”
Another Open Tournament was held on Saturday, September 16,  at the Trade Route Mall.

Have a story? contact a reporter on 076-235-1764 or call into the Rising Sun offices on 011-852-0842.

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Former  Lenasia  Extension 5 resident, Ismail Ayob (Ishy), from Funtri and Jozi X Sports Clubs  in Mayfair is having a year to remember.

He has just been selected to represent South Africa at the Duathlon World Champs in Denmark in 2018.

At the Gauteng Duathlon Champs, which comprises a 10km run, a 40km cycle and a 5km run, he surprised everyone.

Ishy, as he is affectionately called  by his mates, took third place in his age group.

He  had the fastest 10km run in his category at 42 min and both his changeovers were the fastest as well.

That qualified him to represent Gauteng and participate at the SA Champs in July for the first time, where he had a stammer in very tough conditions and a tough route. He achieved fourth position in his age group at SA Champs.

One statistic that he his happy about was the “30 seconds”, the 3rd best run to bike change over time, among the best Duathletes in South Africa in the standard and long distance events.

30 seconds is a few seconds from what they achieved at World Champs.

“This has been an incredibly rewarding year. I am over the moon at being selected. What a privilege and an honour to represent my country and to have the Protea colours as motivation. I am looking forward to the challenge. I believe I can still improve a lot in all the disciplines,” Ishy said.

One of his best results this year included a first place overall and a first in his age group at a  Long Distance Duathlon event in North West at Buffelspoort, which was a 7km run, an 80km cycle and a hard hilly 21km run, finish.

He came first again  in his age category at the Pick n Pay 8km run in Bedfordview in February, and took overall 5th place, the run  having 800 athletes that morning.

It is incredible if one considers he only passed the startline 1 minute after the start of the race.

He was the third veteran finisher at this year’s Sarens 10 km race in  Edenvale with a time of 43min for the 10km.152 veterans ran the race.

For fun, he participated in his first Park Run while on holiday in Durban in April, and came overall 13th in 20 minutes.

Over 1 700 athletes particpated that morning… and again he was the first veteran finisher.

At the ‘Red Hub’ Cradle of Humankind event in April, he was placed fourth overall in the Duathlon event… again first in his age group for the 5km run, 30km cycle and 5km trail run.

At one of the  Pretoria 10km races,  which he participates in occasionally, he emerged in overall 23rd position, the number of athletes who participated that morning totalled 1 100.

At the Vaal Marathon in Vereeniging, Ismail at 45 years of age, raced to his fastest 21 km in over 12  years… 1 hour 32 minutes. His best 5km time trial run, in more then 10 years came soon after, at 17 min 40 seconds.

At the Jeppe High School for Girls Fun Run, he raced to an overall fourth position out of 1 806 runners.

He followed that with another first position finish. He achieved first position and was the first veteran home at the trail run and road bike Duathlon at the Cradle in September. This was his second win in a race this year.

“Alhamdullilah, I have been blessed this year with great results, good health and no injuries. My family is really supportive of this journey as well. Having a club like Jozi x with so much support and motivation, makes a big difference,” added Ishy.

Submitted by Zaiboonisa Moosa

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