Team SA’s athletes were involved in two sports (squash and billiards) on Monday at The World Games in Chengdu, China. They opened the day with the two silver medals won by Hamish Lovemore in canoeing, in both the short-and-long distance finals.
BILLIARDS
Mixed Heyball, 9th to 16th placing: Marina Jacobs beat Adriana Villar (Costa Rica) 5-3
SQUASH
Men’s singles, Special Plate, semi-finals: Dewald van Niekerk beat Joseph White (Australia) 3-2 (11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 3-11, 11-6)
Women’s singles, Special Plate, semi-finals: Hayley Ward lost to Franka Vidovic of Croatia 3-2 (7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4)
This is the ninth The World Games attended by Team SA, with the first being in 1993 in The Hague, Netherlands. Across those eight previous Games, Team SA has won 20 medals, with the most (six) at the 1997 The World Games in Lahti, Finland.
Team SA’s squad in Chengdu and how they fared is:
ARCHERY
Hendre Verhoef reached the Last 16 of Men’s Compound
Septimus Cilliers reached the Last 32 of Men’s Compound
Jeanine Van Kradenburg reached the Last 32 of Women’s Compound
CANOEING
Hamish Lovemore won the SILVER medal in the Men’s K1 Short Distance (3.4km)
Hamish Lovemore won the SILVER medal in the Men’s K1 Long Distance (21km), clocking 1:35:39
Saskia Hockly was eliminated in the heats of the Women’s K1 Short Distance (3.4km), finishing 10th and placed 17th overall
Saskia Hockly finished 9th the Women’s K1 Long Distance (21km), timing 1:54:18
KICKBOXING (5)
Men: Ahmad Mahomed, Matthew Gething, Muhammad Mia
Women: Leanne Van der Mescht, Saentone Louw
MUAYTHAI
Damian Collins reached the semi-finals of the -86kg division and then lost in the bronze medal match
ORIENTEERING
Sarah Wimberley finished 29th in the Women’s Middle Distance final
Sarah Wimberley finished 36th in the Women’s Sprint final
POWERLIFTING (2)
Men: Harold Pietersen
Women: Megan Faul
SPORT CLIMBING (4)
Men: Joshua Bruyns, John-David Muller
Women: Aniya Holder, Tegwen Oates
SQUASH
Dewald van Niekerk reached the Last 16 of the men’s singles where he lost. He was then moved into the Plate competition where he reached the final
Hayley Ward reached the Last 16 of the women’s singles where she lost. She was then moved into the Plate competition where she reached the semi-finals
Follow the action from The World Games 2025 on Team South Africa’s website and social media platforms.
The World Games are streamed live on www.discoversport.com/live
