By Mbongeni Vilakati
MBABANE – Four champions, being Sthembiso ‘Dodge’ Matsebula, Mandlenkhosi ‘Steering’ Mabaso, Ncobile ‘Sncobesh’ Dlamini and Smakhi Magagula, emerged victorious in their respective categories of the National Blackball Championship 2024 that was played at Princess Pholile Hall on Saturday and Sunday (July 20-21, 2024).
The event featured standout performances across multiple categories, being the People with Disability category, Women’s category, Under 18’s category and the Masters’ Champion category, highlighting the depth in the blackball community.
The main day was on Sunday (July 21, 2024) as the Masters’ Champion category took centre stage in the venue. Sthembiso ‘Dodge’ Matsebula emerged as the champion in the Masters’ Champion category with over 20 players participating. The participating players were grouped into four groups, whereby the top two players in each group qualified for the knockout stage.
The People with disability category matches were played on Saturday (July 20, 2024) using the round robin format, where Mandlenkhosi ‘Steering’ Mabaso emerged champion, displaying remarkable skill and determination that captivated the audience. This category had over five players participating in the tournament.
The Women’s category was also played on Saturday, which saw Ncobile ‘Sncobesh’ Dlamini dominating with her strategic prowess and unwavering focus, ultimately securing the championship ahead of over 10 women that participated in this category.
Meanwhile, the Under 18’s category had 31 participants who were grouped into four groups, with the top 2 players from each group qualifying to the last 8 knockout stage. Young prodigy Smakhi Magagula dazzled spectators with his agile movements and sharp instincts, securing himself the victory.
