The 2024 gsport Hall of Fame luncheon saw the induction of the 19th legend into the organisation’s list of prestigious female athletes.
The annual event honours extraordinary women who have left an in-erasable mark in South African sport.
This year’s luncheon carried special significance as it corresponded with the celebration of 30 years of democracy and freedom in sport.
Penny Heyns, the first inductee into the gsport Hall of Fame, known for her record-breaking achievements in swimming, reflected on the younger generations of swimmers such as Tatjana Smith.
“As I look at sport now, obviously for me it’s very special. Having witnessed what Tatjana (Smith) did. Not only did she win gold, but she won it in my events. She’s the only other swimmer in the history of the Olympics to win the 100m and 200m. She just did that over two Olympics. I didn’t have the longevity to do it over,” Heyns said.
The 19th edition saw the induction of Mandisa Williams, a rugby icon and former Springboks Women’s Rugby captain, have her name added on this iconic wall.
Williams hopes that the younger generation of athletes can have platforms to freely participate in.
“We need to continue embracing diversity (in sport) because that is a killer. So that they (women) choose to freely play the sport that they like,” she explained.
Echoing this sentiment was the Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, who in her keynote address reiterated the importance of diversity in sport.
“Sport is a powerful tool of nation building. We are all represented. Different backgrounds. Rugby should not the be only sport that brings us together. We need to find something that will reignite the entire nation,” Mabe added.
Founder of gsport, Kass Naidoo, expressed the importance of recognising these trailblazers.
“The current generation has the success that they have because these women were denied opportunities but still believed in the future,” Naidoo said.
This was also a reflection on the collective journey towards a more inclusive sporting environment. Written by Karabo Peter
Written by: Lindiwe Mabena
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