{"id":205109,"date":"2019-05-23T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/205109\/germiston-high-rowers-propel-to-greater-lengths\/"},"modified":"2019-05-24T14:29:50","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T12:29:50","slug":"germiston-high-rowers-propel-to-greater-lengths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/sports-news\/2019\/05\/23\/germiston-high-rowers-propel-to-greater-lengths\/","title":{"rendered":"Germiston High rowers propel to greater lengths"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Three learners from Germiston High School were recently selected to join the South African Schools Rowing Union (SASRU) Development Squad, in touring the United Kingdom, along with other junior rowers from schools across South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>The SASRU development tour ran from May 1 to 13.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>Annually SASRU picks the best performing u-16 rowers at the South African School Rowing Championships to compete in the Wallingford and Bedford Regattas in the UK.<\/p>\n<p>These regattas are right at the beginning of the rowing season in the UK.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>This year, Thubelihle Mafikela (Grade 11), Kelebogile Dibakoane (Grade 11) and Mpho Lebina (Grade 10) represented SA in a series of races which tested their endurance and physical capabilities in rowing.<\/p>\n<div class='tie-fluid-width-video-wrapper tie-ignore-fitvid' style='margin-bottom: 30px;'>\n\t\t\t<iframe style='width: 100%; min-height: 300px; aspect-ratio: 16\/9;' src='https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/MTYgkFnHD8E' loading='lazy'><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\u201cAt the start of the season, in August last year, I told my coach, Lebohang Mashigo, that I was taking him to the UK.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe told me to go home and think about my words, the following day, and the rest of the season, I never mentioned my goal again, I just showed him my determination through my dedication in practice sessions and how I challenged myself physically, to perform at my best,\u201d said Lebina.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFast forward to today, and I was part of a team which was ranked second overall at the Bedford Regatta.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class='tie-fluid-width-video-wrapper tie-ignore-fitvid' style='margin-bottom: 30px;'>\n\t\t\t<iframe style='width: 100%; min-height: 300px; aspect-ratio: 16\/9;' src='https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/ezVShCa9UIU' loading='lazy'><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>ALSO READ:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/205323\/paddlers-set-to-take-to-germiston-lake-for-the-flat-race\/\" target=\"_blank\">Paddlers set to take to Germiston Lake for the Flat Race<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Dibakoane and Mafikela had a different experience to Lebina.<\/p>\n<p>According to the girls, their main focus was to commit to outperforming themselves in every race.<\/p>\n<p>When they received the invitation for the UK tour, they were in disbelief because they had not thought that far.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was not even sure what I was getting into when I signed up for rowing, and there I was receiving news that I was invited to join SASRU in the UK,\u201d said Dibakoane.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen coach Mosa Leballo told us the news, we could not wait to tell our parents, we later found out they had already been informed, it was exciting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just goes to show how much commitment and dedication can get you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the UK, the SASRU team competed in their first races, on May 5, in London, at the Wallingford Regatta.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_205111\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-205111\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-205111\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/05\/1_24013-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/05\/1_24013-520x390.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/05\/1_24013-270x203.jpg 270w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/05\/1_24013-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2019\/05\/1_24013.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-205111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thubelihle Mafikela (15), Mpho Lebina (15) and Kelebogile Dibakoane (16) recently boarded a flight to the UK, joining 22 junior rowers from across South Africa in the South African Schools Rowing Union (SASRU) Development Squad to take part in the Bedford and Wallingford Regattas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>ALSO READ:\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/172626\/night-race-a-hit-with-paddlers\/\" target=\"_blank\">Night Race a hit with paddlers<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The girls\u2019 team qualified for the A final cox eight race, after clinching second place in their first heat.<\/p>\n<p>They came in third in the final.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe learnt some harsh lessons in our last race of the day, I must say,\u201d Mafikela joked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe took part in the cox four challenge against our seniors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe lost, terribly, but it was a great lesson to find out how far we could push our bodies and work together as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Lebina, the Bedford Regatta, which was held on May 11, is the most important knock-out regatta.<\/p>\n<div class='tie-fluid-width-video-wrapper tie-ignore-fitvid' style='margin-bottom: 30px;'>\n\t\t\t<iframe style='width: 100%; min-height: 300px; aspect-ratio: 16\/9;' src='https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/1fEJfyQivTo' loading='lazy'><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>ALSO READ:\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/174514\/paddling-waves-high-altitude\/\" target=\"_blank\">Paddling the waves at high altitude<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>\u201cWe raced in the coxless quad heat on May 11, qualified for the semi-finals and proceeded to the finals where we lost.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone gave their best and more than anything we were like a family, working together in each race,\u201d Lebina said.<\/p>\n<p>All three rowers attribute their current success in the sport to the discipline enforced by their coaches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou learn time management, respect, determination and how to honour those around you in rowing, and those are great life lessons to live by,\u201d said Mafikela.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GCNnews\">Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCblgxW6BRXTLGLQvpcumLqA\">YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Or add the GCN on<span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><strong>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<strong>BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za\/\">Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/albertonrecord.co.za\/\">Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/kemptonexpress.co.za\/\">Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='e776e48c1d0ca4f6e84ba99a23090a0e'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U-16 rowers from Germiston High School tick off the South African Schools Rowing Union (SASRU) development tour from their bucket lists in rowing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1848,"featured_media":205110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Kgotsofalang 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