EDEN BADMINTON NEWS - Pottie Potgieter, from George, was the star at the recent South African Badminton Tournament hosted by Eden Badminton in Hartenbos. Potgieter was a triple winner at the tournament with victories in the men's singles, the men's doubles as well the mixed doubles.
He was also named Sportsman of the Tournament in the Stavridis Cup.
The only other previous Eden multiple winner was Karl Ewert who became triple champion in 2014, although he played with a player from another province in the men's doubles.
The SA tournament consisted of two separately contested tournaments, namely the Woodroffe Cup and the Stavridis Cup, both consisting of an A and B section.
Eden entered one team in each of the A sections of the tournaments. The tournament started with the individual competition where Eden won five out of the 10 titles; five each in the Woodroffe and Stavridis Cup.
The winners were:
Stavridis Cup:
Men's singles: Pottie Potgieter
Men's doubles: Pottie Potgieter and Koenraad Potgieter
Mixed doubles: Pottie Potgieter and Elode Minnie.
Woodroffe Cup:
Men's singles: Wessel Hartslief
Mixed doubles: Louwrens Schlebusch and Amanda Minnie.
Other individual awards won by Eden players:
Stavridis Cup: Sportsman of the Tournament - Pottie Potgieter
Woodroffe Cup: Sportsman of the Tournament: Louwrens Schlebusch
Despite injuries to two Eden players, Elode Minnie and Wessel Hartlief, Eden finished third in the provincial competition for the Stavridis and the Woodroffe Cup.
After the competition the players were graded in both the Stavridis and the Woodroffe Cup and a team was selected to participate in the Challengers Cup in Bloemfontein next year.
The following Eden players were chosen and graded: Stavridis Cup men - Pottie Potgieter (graded 1). Women - Elode Minnie (graded 3). Woodroffe Cup men -
Louwrens Schlebusch (graded 1) and
Wessel Hartslief (graded 2). Women - Amanda Minnie (graded 2) and Heleen Fourie (graded 3).
This is a huge accomplishment taking into consideration that all these players are from the George Badminton Club and have to practise in below standard facilities as George doesn't have a proper sports complex like the De Jagers Sports Complex in Oudtshoorn.
The Eden team that took part in die SA Badminton Tournament for the Stavridis Cup (A Division). Back, from left: Koenraad Potgieter, Wessel van der Westhuizen, Pottie Potgieter, Ali Akram and Mitch Otto. Front: Chrisma Fourie, Almerie Venter, Juanita de Bruyn and Elode Minnie.
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