Men's Table Tennis Team won big at USSA Championships

The CPUT men's table tennis team achieved remarkable success at the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Table Tennis Championships, winning two gold medals. After five days of intense competition at the Major Sports Hall on the Bellville Campus, the team showcased outstanding sportsmanship and commitment.

The USSA Table Tennis Championships, held annually, aim to identify South Africa's best student players across various categories. This year's edition saw a total of 12 tertiary institutions competing. CPUT hosted the championships after a successful event the previous year in Bloemfontein. The tournament also serves as a platform for players to be selected for international competitions.

The men's team made it to the medal playoffs in all tournament categories, including singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and team competition. The women's team qualified for three out of the five medal playoffs.

Mohamed Ally, a Sports Development Officer, commented on the team's performance, highlighting the growing talent and dedication within the university's sports programme. "This year's tournament was highly contested, with players displaying exceptional skill and close competition, featuring major upsets and a new wave of emerging talent in both the men's and women's events."

The CPUT team secured two gold medals in the men's team event and men's doubles, along with three silver medals in mixed doubles, women's doubles, and men's singles. The men's team, consisting of Scelo Mkhetho, Ntuthuzelo Lusithi, and Everard Isaacs, won gold in the team event, while Ntuthuzelo and Everard claimed a second gold in the men's doubles.

In the women's division, Anande Kuse and Zizipho Ntlali earned silver in the women's doubles. The mixed doubles pair of Anande and Everard also finished with silver, while Ntuthuzelo took silver in the men's singles final.

As the tournament convenor, Ally expressed satisfaction with the event's execution. "The CPUT community came together once again to demonstrate our excellent organisational skills and hospitality. The volunteer support from other departments and the overall impression CPUT sports made on our guests was fantastic, and we all enjoyed top-quality table tennis."