A local badminton tournament was the stage for some exceptional performances, and one thrilling achievement.
A group of talented young badminton players from Diamantveld High School delivered remarkable performances over the weekend during the Under-15 and Under-19 Badminton SA Tournament that took place in Kimberley.
The players walked away with multiple medals, a testament to their dedication to the sport.
Lourens Scheffer was among the standout performers, clinching a silver medal in the boys’ doubles and a gold medal in the mixed doubles. Alex Pretorius also impressed, securing silver in the boys’ singles and mixed doubles, as well as a gold medal in the boys’ doubles.
Anika van der Merwe added to the medal tally with a silver in the mixed doubles, while Melay Pretorius dominated in the Under-15 category, winning gold in both the girls’ doubles and mixed doubles.
Anika and Melay reached the semi-finals of the Under-19 doubles, while Melay also made it to the semi-finals of the Under-19 mixed doubles, where she and her partner faced off against Anika and Alex in a thrilling match.
Meanwhile, Cayden le Roux also had an impressive run, reaching the semi-finals of the Under-15 boys’ singles and the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles. He also competed in the quarter-finals of the Under-19 mixed doubles, demonstrating his growing potential.
Other players who participated in the tournament included Henro Kritzinger, Zaylin Nel, Stefan Botes, and Charlize van der Merwe, all of whom contributed to a competitive and exciting event.
Just off court, a special achievement came the way of Madizé le Roux, who made history as the youngest qualified referee in South Africa.
Over the weekend, she officiated all the Under-15 finals and had previously served as the head referee for the women’s singles final at the SA International Tournament in December last year.
With these outstanding performances, Kimberley’s young badminton stars continue to make their mark, proving that the future of the sport is in capable hands.
