Sports

Former South African rugby star, Hannes Strydom dies in car crash

Published

6 months ago

November 21, 2023

Former South African rugby star, Hannes Strydom has died in an accident at the age of 58, the South African Rugby Union confirmed on Monday, making him the fifth player from their victorious 1995 World Cup team to pass away.

Strydom, who was a pharmacist by training, played 21 Tests for the Springboks between 1993 and 1997, and started the 1995 final where the home side defeated New Zealand 15-12 to take the crown at Ellis Park, a game which had former President Nelson Mandela in attendance.

Former teammate and close friend, Kobus Wiese told local media that though details of the accident were still sketchy, the vehicle Strydom was travelling in collided with a minibus taxi.

“The accident took place on Sunday near the coal mining town of eMalahleni in Mpumalanga province,” Wiese said.

In a tribute on the website of the South African Rugby Union, President Mark Alexander described Strydom as “one of the heroes of our local game”.

His former club, the Lions, also paid tribute to him, describing him as a legend who had formed a formidable lock combination with Wiese.

“We share a tight bond as members of the 1995 group and to lose yet another one of our brothers is a big blow,” Lions Rugby Company chief executive officer, Rudolf Straeuli said.

Strydom made his debut for the Springboks in 1993, and helped defeat arch-rivals New Zealand 15-12 in the 1995 World Cup final in Johannesburg— the biggest sporting event in South Africa after the end of apartheid— before ending his career after playing in the British and Irish Lions series.

Outside rugby, Strydom worked as a pharmacist in the capital, Pretoria, and started pharmacy chain, Pharma Valu after hanging up his boots.

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Sports

Egyptian midfielder Elneny announces departure from Arsenal after eight years

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Egypt and Arsenal midfielder, Mohamed Elneny, has announced his departure from the club at the end of this season after eight years at the North London club.

Elneny who made the announcement in a video on Friday, said he will depart the club following the expiration of his contract.

Elneny joined Arsenal from Swiss side Basel in 2016 and made 161 appearances but in the last two seasons, the Egyptian midfielder has struggled for playing time due to a combination of injuries and loss of form.

In 2019, under former manager Unai Emery, he was loaned out to Besiktas for the 2019-20 campaign, where he played 36 times for the Turkish side.

Upon returning to Arsenal, he found a more prominent role under new manager Mikel Arteta.

Elneny’s contract was due to expire at the end of last season, but Arsenal opted to extend it by an additional year. With this extension now coming to an end, it has been widely reported that the 31-year-old will leave the club this summer.

In the video on X, Elneny said:

“Gooners, I’m here today to send you a message. To say goodbye and thank you for everything you’ve done for me, the love, the support, and the kindness. I am really going to miss you so much and you will be in my heart forever.

“I wanted to say how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I will never forget the way you supported me. I am going to see you on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium to say goodbye face to face.”

He added that he would bid farewell to fans at the Emirates on Sunday as Arsenal host Everton in their final league match.

Though Elneny did not say where he would go after leaving Arsenal, it is believed he will be heading to the Saudi Arabian league to join a horde of elite players who have made the Saudi League the new football haven.

Sports

Ethiopian marathon legend Bekele returns to Olympics after 12-year absence

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After a 12-year absence on the international race circuit, Ethiopian marathon legend, Kenenisa Bekele, has announced that he will return for the 2024 Olympic Games in July after he was named in a 10-member team on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Bekele last competed in the London Games in 2012 when he finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m before he was overlooked for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

His surprise return to the Ethiopian team came after a remarkable second-place finish at the London Marathon in April which was enough to earn him a place for the Paris Olympics in a squad which also features women’s world record holder Tigist Assefa.

In his heydays, Bekele won three Olympic golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and is now expected to renew his rivalry with reigning Olympic champion and former world record holder, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya who was also named in the Kenyan team.

In August 2003, Kipchoge dusted his Ethiopian rival when the two met for the first time at the Paris World Championships, holding on to win the 5,000m race, pipping Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj into second place while Bekele finished third.

Bekele made his marathon debut in April 2014 when he produced the sixth-fastest run over the distance in Paris but his career has been hampered by injuries.

Other members of the Ethiopian men’s team for the Olympics are Sisay Lemma, the Valencia marathon champion, and Deresa Geleta, while 2023 New York marathon champion and 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola and Eusedin Mohammed, are standby reserves.