Team SA’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Region 5 Youth Games both expressed similar emotions on being given the call to lead the country’s athletes out on Friday night at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek, writes Mark Lemke.
Tennis player Simphiwe Ngwenya and karate’s Nyska Jagasur were given the “honour” and both admitted to being “shocked” at being told, and “very proud and very nervous”.
Ngwenya’s pathway into tennis came almost by accident, while Jagasur admitted her involvement with karate was born from being bullied as a young girl.
“My friends got me into tennis,” Ngwenya said. “I saw them having a hit-around when I was walking past and they invited me to have a try. I was around seven or eight years old. I thought I’d give it a go. There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but I haven’t looked back.”
Like Ngwenya, Jagasur is also a Durbanite. “I was being bullied and got into karate to help me build confidence. I was a shy kid, but the sport really helped me. I loved it and pushed myself to get good at it,” said the Maris Stella learner.
She has ambitions of “getting into business”, while her karate dreams are of “winning gold at these Games and winning the Continental champs in a few weeks”.
Photo: Frennie Shivambu
