Well done Tri-Colour athletes!

Monday, July 16, 2018

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has congratulated a team of young athletes who took part in the sixth edition of the International Tri-Colour Games in Reggio Emilia, Italy, last week. 

“I am very proud of the performance of all our athletes at the Tri- Colour Games,” said Premier Makhura on Sunday.

Over 200 athletes from different schools in Gauteng (Team Gauteng) participated in six sporting codes that included soccer, rugby, swimming, and basketball. The games got underway on Sunday, 8 July.

The athletes were selected from the OR Tambo/Sonchini Games held in honour of the friendship between South Africa’s liberation stalwart, Reginald Oliver Tambo and Giuseppe Sonchini, an Italian politician who formed a formidable friendship with Oliver Tambo towards the liberation of the oppressed people of South Africa.

Team Gauteng competed with 3 000 other young athletes from 100 cities across the globe. This is the first time that South Africa was represented in the Games.

The rugby team won a gold medal, beating Reggio rugby in the finals while the boys’ soccer team also won a gold medal.

The girls’ soccer team had the second highest score and won a silver medal.

Team Gauteng were the overall winners in swimming for both able bodied and disabled learners.

The Premier added that these athletes not only did their national duty by representing South Africa well, but also did well for the province of Gauteng.

The Premier said that it is significant that these athletes won these achievements during the birth month of South Africa’s icon, Tata Nelson Mandela.

“They went to Italy as a team, united in their diversity, their teamwork and discipline has given us the results we are celebrating today.”

The teams arrived back in the country on Saturday. - SAnews.gov.za