Photo credit: The News Times
Throughout December, sports fervour swept across Africa, highlighted by thrilling performances from the Men’s and Women’s Proteas in cricket. Additionally, Eritrean cyclist Henok Mulubrhan made history by clinching his first-ever African Rider of the Year award, setting the stage for a promising 2024 season for these exceptional athletes.
Proteas Men
In the dynamic cricket encounters against India throughout December 2023, the Proteas faced an array of challenges and triumphs.
The T20 series commenced with a weather-interrupted first match on December 10, resulting in abandonment. Undeterred, South Africa rebounded strongly, claiming victory in the second T20 on December 12 by five wickets. However, India retaliated, dominating the third T20 on December 14, securing a resounding win by 106 runs.
The ODI series unfolded with India taking the initial victory on December 17 by 8 wickets. South Africa swiftly responded, clinching the second match on December 19 with an eight-wicket triumph. The series concluded on December 21, as India emerged victorious by 78 runs.
The Proteas then engaged in intense One-off Test matches against India. On day three, session three, South Africa secured a nail-biting victory by 32 runs, while on day two, session two, India rebounded, claiming triumph by seven wickets.
Proteas Women
In December 2023, the Women’s Proteas engaged in a captivating ODI series against Bangladesh, showcasing their prowess on the cricket field.
The first ODI on December 16 saw Bangladesh outclassing South Africa by 119 runs. Undeterred, the Women’s Proteas roared back to form on December 20, securing an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the second ODI. The third and final ODI clash on December 22 ended with South Africa triumphing over Bangladesh by 216 runs, ultimately winning the series 2-1.
Best African Rider of 2023
Eritrean cyclist Henok Mulubrhan, aged 24, emerged as the distinguished recipient of the Best African Rider of 2023. Having signed a deal with Astana Qazaqstan for 2024 and 2025, Mulubrhan showcased his cycling prowess winning six out of his seven career victories during the 2023 season.
Notably, his achievements included a remarkable stage triumph and the overall championship at the Tour of Qinghai Lake in July, solidifying his status as a rising star in the cycling world.
ABOUT PROTOUCH AFRICA
PROTOUCH AFRICA is a purpose-led and Sports Tech business founded in 2016 with a focus on enabling African Athletes to perform on the World Stage.
It is pioneering new ways for fans to interact and engage with their favourite teams, leagues, and athletes and enable alternative revenue streams.
ProTouch Africa’s Podium Pursuit Project is focused on creating a transparent and sustainable funding mechanism for the next generation of African Athletes. Its vision is to launch the World’s first fan-owned impact investment platform for African Athletes in Q1 of 2024 by assembling an ecosystem of top-performing athletes, their fans, and the brands that support them.
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