MUT Sport athletes excel in their sporting codes

Some of the participants. Zinhle Sithole is in second from right  

On 10 June 2022, four of the University’s bodybuilders took first place in their respective categories as part of the USSA Games at UKZN. Zinhle Sithole, an Electrical Engineering final year student, placed first in the Ladies Beach Bikini. Phindile Ngubane placed second in the Wellness Category. Phindlie is a second-year Agriculture student.

The following students all placed first in different categories:  Nkosikhona Zulu, a final year Nature Conservation student (up to 80kg category); Zolani Khoza, a final year construction student (under 75kg category); and Mvelo Khumalo, a Quantity Surveying student (Men’s Athletic Physique).  MUT were overall winners in these USSA Games at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.  Men’s overall winner was Zulu.

MUT Boxing team also excelled at Clermont Sports Hall, in Durban. The Boxing Coach, Lindani Mbonambi, was selected to coach the eThekwini elite boxing team. Mbonambi will now take his team to Camperdown to compete against other KZN districts. This will be a KZN Boxing Elite Championship where the provincial team will be selected. Mbonambi says his team will be number one. He says most of the team members will be from his team. One of the team members is Sandile Khumalo, an Advance Diploma in Accounting student, who doubles up as a coach.

In the District Open Boxing Tournament at Durban’s Clermont on 11 June 2022, Sandile, won gold in his bantamweight after beating Azile Ntuli, from Eyethu Boxing Club. He won on points, with all judges giving him a win. Khumalo won gold in the 2019 USSA Games in Secunda, Mpumalanga.

Fighting her first-ever match, Nompumelelo Mbhele, 63kg, won a gold medal. Nompumelelo beat Nozipho Mkhize from DUT. She won on points.

Zanele Jili, the middle heavyweight, also won on points against Asanda Mkhwanazi from Lindelani Boxing Club. Zanele was also selected to represent eThekwini Elite Boxing team.

The University’s Rugby team also did well. On 11 June, the Rugby team took advantage of playing at home and beat Clermont Whales 27-7 in a Durban Rugby Sub Union Walker Cup, 3rd Division.  Also on the same day, MUT Ladies Hockey team beat Varsity College by 2-1 at Riverside Hockey grounds. This was a second-division league game.

The following day the MUT Men’s Hockey team did even better. They beat Inanda Ntuzuma KwaMashu team by 4-2, in a second-division league game.  Still on this day, in a SAFA league game, the MUT Ladies Soccer team drew 3-3 with Inanda Divas at Inanda.