1927 — Willie Smith, South Africa’s 1924 Olympic gold medallist, wins British recognition of the world bantamweight title when he beats Teddy Baldock on points in London. The fight was also the first fistic event to be covered live on radio in Britain. Smith’s claim to the world title was disputed and died after he lost his next bout in the US two months later. While never being regarded a world champion at home at the time, Smith’s claim probably has merit when considered today in the context of alphabet organisations.
1990 — Vuyani Nene, who conquered future four-time world champion Baby Jake Matlala four times, loses in his only world title shot, getting stopped by IBF junior-bantamweight champion Robert Quiroga of the US in Pagliari, Italy.
1993 - The South African soccer team, featuring future stars like Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish and John Moshoeu, as well as coaches-to-be Pitso Mosimane and Steve Komphela, are thrashed 0-4 by Mexico in a friendly in Los Angeles. It equalled the 0-4 drubbing they had received at the hands of Nigeria nearly a year earlier, and the scoreline would be repeated twice more until being eclipsed with a 0-5 hiding by Brazil in 2014.
1996 — Opener Gary Kirsten scores an unbeaten 118 as the Proteas beat Pakistan by seven wickets to win the final of a four-nations tournament in Nairobi. South Africa had bowled out their opponents for 203, with Allan Donald and Derek Crookes taking three wickets each.
2000 — Lehlohonolo Ledwaba makes the third defence of his IBF junior-featherweight title, knocking out Eduardo Alvarez of Argentina in the eighth round in Maidstone, England.
2002 — Herschelle Gibbs smashes 97 off 66 balls as the Proteas thump Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the second ODI at Willowmoore Park in Benoni to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Makhaya Ntini took 3/28 as South Africa restricted the visitors to 154/9.
2010 — Sunette Loubser takes 4/11 and Dane van Niekerk 4/13 as the South African women bowl out Sri Lanka for 75 and win their ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge ODI in Potchefstroom by 153 runs. Cri-Zelda Brits scored 78.
2012 — The Springboks are beaten 32-16 by New Zealand in a Rugby Championship match at FNB Stadium. Bryan Habana scored South Africa’s only try, while the visitors crossed for four of their own.
2017 — Aiden Markram scores 143 and Dean Elgar 113 on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Bloemfontein.
2018 — Reeza Hendricks scores 66 and Heinrich Klaasen 59 as the Proteas beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in the third ODI in Paarl for a 3-0 series victory. South Africa reached the 229 target in the 46th over.
2018 — The All Blacks avenge their defeat in Wellington a few weeks earlier, beating the Springboks 32-30 at Loftus Versfeld. The visitors won the try count 4-3.
2018 — Lizelle Lee scores 42 off 24 balls as the South African women, needing 156, beat the West Indies by three wickets with one delivery remaining in the fifth and final T20 in Tarouba to draw the series 2-2.
2019 — Senuran Muthusamy scores an unbeaten 49 as South Africa are bowled out for 191 to lose the first Test against India in Visakhapatnam by 203 runs.
2022 — David Miller scores 75 and Heinrich Klaasen 74 to lift South Africa to 249/4 before the Proteas bowlers restrict India to win the first ODI in Lucknow by nine runs. Lungi Ngidi took three wickets, including two off consecutive deliveries in the 38th over to slow the run rate.
2022 — Kenneth Rice joins brother Sean as a world champion as he finished first in the ICF canoe ocean racing world championships in Viano do Castelo, Portugal, beating veteran Hank McGregor into second place. Michelle Burn, the defending champion, finished third in the women’s race with compatriot Nicole Birkett fourth.
2024 — Michelle Burn reclaims her ICF surfski world championships title in Madeira, beating compatriot Melanie van Niekerk into second place. Veteran Hank McGregor took bronze in the men’s event. Burn won the 2021 edition and also finished runner-up in 2013 and 2017.
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