Once we have fun the SA Open winner, we must also bear in mind those that went earlier than him
A lot of my fellow South Africans are of the opinion that we must always transfer away from the racial stigmas of the previous. And, in a creating nation, there’s a robust case for this. However as a lot as we want to practise this, typically it’s simply not potential.
I realised this after I watched Wayde van Niekerk win the 400m on the Rio Olympics in 2016. After the race, I stood in that stadium and held my South African flag up excessive. Many overseas spectators turned to me and cheered. What they didn’t know was that I wasn’t solely celebrating Van Niekerk however the plethora of world-class South African “colored” sportsmen who got here earlier than him.
You’ll not discover their names in any halls of fame, sports activities or on these fancy SuperSport newsreels. You’ll not discover their names alongside Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards or Gary Participant — however they have been nice, nonetheless. Many say they have been even higher than the likes of Herschelle Gibbs, Benni McCarthy and Vernon Philander.
And there have been various them — Pat Blair, Duncan Crowie, Charles Carey, Keith America, Boebie Solomons, Hector Fynn, Georgie Francis, Gavin Snyman and Mark Buckley (from soccer); Basil d’Oliviera, Tiffy Barnes, Koeki Neethling, Tiny Abed, Saaiet Majiet and Michael Patrick (cricket); David Samaai, Cavan Bergman, Marcelino Winlock and Raymond Anthony (tennis); Enver Lyners (table-tennis); Andy Wrankmore and Denver Hendricks (squash); Ron Elland and Treasured McKenzie (weightlifting) and Cecil Blous, Herman Gibbs, Steve Rive, Cecil Wilton, Reshaad Williams, Ian February and Shaun Vester (athletics). And I’m simply naming a handful.
To me, Van Niekerk is the offspring of this nice line of sporting thoroughbreds.
And after I noticed Dylan Naidoo had gained the SA Open this Sunday at Durban Nation Membership, related emotions ran by way of my veins. I considered different nice sportsmen of color. Amongst them: Sugar Ray Xulu, Thiri Rampath, Steve Kalamazoo, Dharam Mohan, Jomo Sono, Maniraj Singh, Ace Nstolongoe, Tremendous Naidoo and Daya Maistry (soccer); Stanley Govender, Yacoob Omar, George Langa, Devdas Govindjee, Solly Chotia, Ben Malamba, Baboo Ebrahim and Jugoo Govender (cricket); SS Maharaj, Jasmat Dhiraj, Hassan Mahomedy and Richman Mahlangu (tennis); Matthews Temane, Kiruban Naidoo, Karamchand Hiraman, Matthews Motshwareteu and Jock Maduray (athletics); Pradeep “King” Singh (volleyball); Faucet Faucet Makhatini (boxing) and Vincent Shabalala, Daddy Naidoo and, in fact, the nice Papwa Sewgolum (golf). Once more, I’m solely naming just a few however there have been many, many extra.
Once I consider all of them, it raises the query — had the enjoying fields been degree, would there have been a unique sports activities panorama in South Africa? Just by judging the composition of present South African sports activities groups and the instance of Naidoo’s victory, the reply can solely be “sure”.
Sewgolum, in fact, stays one of many best South African legends. He was not solely well-known as a result of he gained the Natal Open (on one other wet day at Durban Nation Membership), he grew to become a legend as a result of he gained three Dutch Opens. For the son of a blind girl, who was so poor that he couldn’t afford to go to high school and was compelled to assist his household by caddying — throughout the peak of apartheid — that was actually one thing.
So, once we have fun Naidoo this week, we must always spare a thought for all those that went earlier than him.
As a result of Naidoo, in some ways, would possibly simply be the reincarnation of legends previous.
Observe: Perhaps this must be an open letter to Gayton McKenzie, the sports activities minister, to make him realise that sport goes lots additional than what we see as we speak on the native channels and it’s time he began recognising these legends
Robbie Naidoo has been an writer and a sportswriter for 30 years. He performed consultant tennis, squash and cricket and has reported domestically and internationally and lined 4 Olympic Video games.