From record-breaking teen track star Viwe Jingqi to Commonwealth Games gold medalist Lara Van Niekerk, from varsity cup rising star Kyle Cyster to world-class footballer Lyle Foster, the future of South Africa’s sports looks bright. In our headline feature, ’23 Under 23 for 2023: Young SA Sports Stars Set to Shine Bright,’ we highlight the promising young talent that’s poised to make a significant impact in the sporting world.
As we enter a new year, Sports Corner looks at 23 sports stars under 23 years old whom we expect to shine in 2023.
- Gerald Coetzee, 22 – Cricket
One of the brightest young cricket stars, Free State seamer, Gerald Coetzee, is next in the line of the frighteningly quick bowlers to represent South Africa.
After impressing on Protea’s debut against West Indies with, a return of nine wickets at an average of 15.88 in the two-Test series (the second most behind Kagiso Rabada and Alzarri Joseph) a lot can be expected from the 22-year-old seamer going forward.
With a potential IPL contract on the cards, Coetzee’s abilities and potential made him an easy choice for this list.
- Zeney van der Walt, 22 – Athletics
Following up on her stunning Commonwealth Games campaign, Zaney dominated the track in 2022, winning multiple titles in the 400m hurdles.
The 22-year-old set a personal best time of 54.47 seconds at the Commonwealth Games as she pushed through in the final stretch to snatch bronze for South Africa. During the World Champs in Oregon, USA, she clocked 54.81s. She is now officially South Africa’s fourth fastest female 400m-hurdles athlete.
Only Myrtle Bothma’s 53.74s, Surita Febbraio’s 54.05s, and Wenda Nel’s 54.37s have been faster.
Zaney has proved her big-match temperament and could race the world’s best. Look for her to continue to dominate the track in 2023.
- Lyle Foster, 22 – Football
Lyle Foster is one of the best young soccer players in South Africa right now. At just 22 years old, he recently signed with English football giants Burnley FC costing around 10 million euros and he penned a four-and-a-half-year deal.
Hailing from South Africa, the forward signed from Belgian side K.V.C. Westerlo, where he netted eight goals and three assists so far this season.
Coming through the ranks at Orlando Pirates in South Africa, Foster has also spent time in Monaco, Belgium and Portugal. As the national team sets its sights on the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, Foster will be a key piece in the puzzle for coach Hugo Broos.
Isabella Kruge, 17 – Tennis
Isabella Kruger (born 1 January 2005) is a tennis player who competes internationally for South Africa. She is ranked no. 676 on the WTA Rankings Singles.
Kruger, the youngest daughter of the late Free State and Springbok great, Ruben Kruger.
Thanks to brilliant performances so far this year, the young Kruger’s place in the Women’s Tennis Association’s (WTA) senior rankings rose to number 354 last month (February 2023), which also makes her South Africa’s top-ranked woman’s player.
Having reached the quarterfinals of the Junior Wimbledon tennis tournament in 2022. At only 17 years of age. With her abilities on the court and incredible match temperament, a lot can be expected from Isabella in 2023.
While she still has yet to win her first major, the talented SA tennis star is well on her way there.
- Tholithemba Sibisi, 19 – Rugby
Tholithemba Sibisi (Class of 2022) Durban High School is one of the rising rugby stars. The 19-year-old has been added as part of the Cell C Sharks U20 Squad for 2023.
A superb achievement, especially when you consider Tholithemba is still only 19. With more games under hist belt more can be expected from the budding rugby star.
- Zalika Methula, 16 – Diving
Zalika Methula is taking the diving world by storm at just 16-years-old. Zalika started diving at the age of nine, specialising in springboard diving and synchro. She is able to dive from both the 1-meter board and the 3-meter, a height that gives most jelly legs.
2022 was a big year for the diving sensation, representing South Africa at the World Junior Diving Championships in Canada, and the FINA World Championships in Hungary.
This followed her success at the 2022 SA Diving Championships where she placed first in the 1 metre and 3 metre springboard dives.
With the world at her feet, a lot can be expected from Zalika as she continues to fly the South African flag in 2023.
- Kerry Grundligh, 19 – Rowing
Kerry Grundlingh is a rower who competes internationally for South Africa. Her last result is the 2nd place for the women’s quadruple sculls without coxswain (w4x) – final b in the World Junior Championships 2022.
A St Mary’s Waverly School, old girl (class of 2022) Kerry represented Rowing South Africa at the World Rowing Under 19 Championships in 2022.
Look out for Kerry in 2023 to make another international tournament in her first debut season after finishing school.
- Bridget Theunissen, 20 – Tri-Athlete
The 20-year-old, Bridget Theunissen , is one of the promising young athletes for South Africa in Triathletes category.
In 2022 she was second winning a silver medal with a time of 1:08:34 in the elite women’s category at the 2022 Africa Triathlon Cup – Maselspoort in the Free State.
With her sights set on 2023 events, Bridget will be one to watch this year and for years to come.
- Njabulo Blom, 23 – Football
Njabulo Blom, St. Louis CITY SC ‘s new signing has been backed to ‘take his game to another level’ in MLS in USA.
During his time, in South Africa as a Kaizer Chiefs midfielder he notched eight assists in 94 appearances across all competitions, helping the club finish second in the South African top flight in 2019/20. At international level, Blom made his debut for South Africa in a World Cup qualifier against Ghana in September 2021.
With that sort of pedigree, Blom has been one of the most sought-after football stars in South Africa and is expected to be e a regular starter for St. Louis – coached by fellow South African Bradley Carnell.
• Kyle Cyster, 23 – Rugby
After scoring a hat-trick for Madibaz against CUT last year and helping them to their first Varsity Cup victory in three years, Cyster has made the move north to join the reigning champions Tuks for the 2023 tournament.
The utility back represented Eastern Province at U20 and U21 levels and has credited his parents for his stellar performances on the field. This is remarkable for a youngster who only started playing rugby in Grade 8.
Cyster has already hit the ground running up north when he scored Tuks’s first try against Shimlas in the Varsity Cup. It was his eighth Varsity try in 11 games.
With age being on his side and beaming with talent, one can only expect Cyster to get better and script more records.
• Zoe Steyn, 19 – Surfing
Zoe Steyn South Africa’s surfing sensation has been consistent winner in both the u/16 and u/18 division of the junior events in South Africa and she has represented her country three times – the ISA World Juniors in California, the WSL World Champs in Taiwan and the ISA Open World Games in Japan alongside esteemed surfers Nicole Pallet and Bianca Buitendag. Simply put, when Zoë surfs, heads turn.
Zoe Steyn has been included in the six-surfer South African team which will compete in the 2023 International Surfing Association World Surfing Games in El Salvador in May 2023.
• Romashen Pillay, 19 – Cricket
Westville Boys High School 1st XI cricket captain for 2023, Romashen Pillay has been in fine form recently with the ball and the bat.
At the SA Cubs week in Stellenbosch
Romashen was awarded Player of the tournament and Batsman of the tournament.
Romashen has had an incredible run, averaging 51 over the week. His innings of 163 runs is the 3rd highest score recorded in Cubs week history. Romashen has also been selected for the SA U19 Men, who are assembling for a selection camp at the CSA Centre of Excellence.
With the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2024 approaching, Pillay will be one to watch this year and for years to come.
• Marione Fourie, 20 – Athletics
Marione Fourie has enjoyed a major growth cascade in her career so far, providing the much-needed s
park to the women’s 100 m hurdles events on South Africa tracks. After matriculating from Hoerskool Driehoek in Vanderbijl Park, Fourie is now studying sports science at the University of Pretoria.
The 20-year-old from Pretoria laid down a marker for 2022 season when she won the South African title in Cape Town in April.
Fourie is an exciting prospect for South African athletics, a lot can be expected from the talented athlete as she sets her sights into world athletics domination in 2023.
• Lara Van Niekerk, 19 – Swimming
The 2022 season turned out to be her breakout year for Van Nierkerk. After her success at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she broke records and won gold medals in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Beating fellow South African and Olympian Tatjana Schoenmaker, she has been dubbed as South Africa’s next swimming sensation.
As the swimming world starts to set its eyes on the Paris Olympics, Van Niekerk will be one to watch.
• Daniel Bennett, 17 – Golf
Daniel Bennett, 17 years old, is an excellent golfer and is now both the South African U17 Champion and the Dimension Data 2021 Junior (U19) Champion after winning two competitions in a week in 2021.
The 2023 Cobra/Puma Northern Amateur Match Play champion Bennett and the GolfRSA National Squad member edged Oliver Golfhill 5 & 4 in the 36-hole final at Country Club Johannesburg on March 17 2023.
Don’t be surprised to see this YOUNG Bennett climb the leaderboard in world golf. He’s got next level game, the tunnel-vision dedication, and the killer instinct it takes to make a real name for himself in the sport.
• Pieter Coetzé, 18 – Swimming
At 16-years of age Pieter Coetzé has already achieved something no junior swimmer has ever been able to do before – he qualified to compete as a senior swimmer in the 100m-backstroke at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in 2021.
Fresh from his gold, silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (2022), the 18-year-old from Pretoria again proved to be the star of the South African team at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Lima, Peru in September 2022. Claiming a haul of one gold, three silvers and a bronze medal.
Having dominated the backstroke-events during local galas for the last two years in South Africa. It won’t be long before Coetzé’s name appears among the world’s top swimmers, assuming he maintains his incredible winning streaks.
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• Kobamelo Kodisang 23, – Football
The South African rising star has been one of the best performers for his club Moreirense in Portugal this season. His goal tally of 10 goals with three assists has earned him an inclusion in the latest Bafana Bafana squad.
Having represented South Africa at junior levels, Kodisang seems ready to take the next step in his career and judging by his recent performances more is to come from the talented midfield dynamo in 2023.
• Viwe Jingqi 20, – Athletics
Viwe Jingqi is the fastest girl in the world in her age group over 200m and second-fastest for over 100m. TuksSport High School offered her a full athletics scholarship after watching her at the SA Schools tournament in Gqeberha in 2019.
Her time of 11.22 seconds to clinch gold in the final at SA Champs was not only an Under-18 record but also a new SA Under-20-mark, eclipsing Marcel Winkler’s 11.25, set in 1989.
Under the watchful eye of coach Paul Gorries, Jingqi just continues to get better, and that shouldn’t change in 2023.
• Rimari Sutton 22, – Cycling
Rimari Sutton is the 2022 South African U-23 cross country champion, won silver at the African Games and has been a multiple national marathon-series champion. Sutton has even won gold at the National Track Championships as well as being a provincial individual road-time trial champion.
Despite all she has achieved, Sutton will never rest on her laurels. She believes winning titles boils down to a forever quest for perfection. With her mentality and drive Sutton will be one of the stars to watch in 2023 and years to come.
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• Marco Jansen 22, – Cycling
Marco Jansen meticulousness, penetration and durability has made him different from other bowlers. His soaring height, and the high-arm action helps him get that zip and extract extra bounce from almost any surface.
Proteas all-rounder Marco Jansen has capped a dream start to his international career after being named the ICC’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year.
With age being on his side and the bowler beaming with talent, one can only expect Jansen to get better and script more records.
• Ike Anagu 19, – Rugby
The future for Anagu St John’s College Old Boy (2021) is exciting as he can play for Ireland, South Africa or even France.
The 19-year-old winger lined out on Irish soil for the first time, playing for the Ireland U20s in their fixture against a Munster development XV earlier this year.
He currently plays his club rugby under Ronan O’Gara at La Rochelle. One of that club’s “espoirs”, or academy players, Anagu is yet to feature in a Top14 or Champions Cup match for the reigning European champions.
Born in Waterford, Anagu moved to South Africa over a decade ago before eventually joining the La Rochelle Academy in 2021. Still eligible to play for the Springboks Anagu cannot be counted out as one of SA’s shining stars for 2023.
• Khololwam Montsi 20, – Tennis
Khololwam Montsi has already achieved significant success at a young age. He has won several junior tournaments and has been described as a future star of South African tennis.
Montsi has won seven tournaments in a row, which has seen him reach number one in South Africa and in Africa. The champion-minded South African rising star, at only 19 years old currently, has a career-high 600 ATP ranking and South Africa singles number two, as of August 2022.
• Brian Raats 19, – High Jump
Emerging high jumper Brian Raats is on the rise. In 2022 when only 18 years of age, Raats jumped 2.26 metres in Potchefstroom. It was the best performance by a South African high jumper. A definite highlight was winning a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Colombia. He was also the South African junior champion and won silver at the senior championships.
With his sight set on qualifying for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Raats definitely is one of the athletes to keep a close eye on.
• Bryce Parsons, 22 – Cricket
Bryce Parsons recently scored his maiden first-class ton guiding the KZN Dolphins to an eight-wicket 4-Day Series win over Western Province in February this year.
The former captain of the South African’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup is slowly coming of age in his list A career.
With more games under his belt Parsons promises to live up to his potential in the coming season.
• Simone Kruger, 17 – Para-athlete
The 17-year-old has hit the ground running in the new season, she recorded two South African and two African records in two sporting codes, shot put and discus at the Winelands International Para Athletics Competition recently held in Stellenbosch.
The Dubai 2019 World Championship silver medallist began practicing shot put and discus at only eight and nine, respectively, competing for the first time when she was 10.
Kruger – who came fifth at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in the discus throw is set for a big 2023 season as she stamps her authority as one of the worlds best.
