Photo credit: OneFootball/Getty Images

The past week was a whirlwind of excitement in the world of sports, with both the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2024 National Cycling Championships in South Africa taking centre stage.

AFCON

The Africa Cup of Nations delivered a riveting spectacle, showcasing an array of brilliance and dramatic moments. The spotlight was on the gripping semi-final clashes, where Nigeria and the host nation, Ivory Coast, secured their spots in the final.

Nigeria secured their place in the final with a commanding 4-2 victory over South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday, February 27th. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast booked their ticket to the final with a hard-fought 1-0 win against DR Congo in the second semi-final, also held on February 27th.

🌍🏆 Get ready for the ultimate showdown at the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 Final! Host Nation Ivory Coast goes head-to-head with Nigeria’s Super Eagles!

Who will triumph in this epic battle for glory?👇#AfricanAthletes #PodiumPursuit #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 #Soccer #Football pic.twitter.com/YyKSyEMwGi

— THE PODIUM PURSUIT – ProTouch Africa 🌍 (@Podium_Pursuit) February 8, 2024

Ivory Coast’s journey to the final is particularly significant, as they become the first host nation to reach an AFCON final since the 2006 edition, hosted by Egypt.

South African National Cycling Championships

Over the weekend of February 2nd to 3rd, South African cyclists descended onto the streets to compete for national titles.

In the Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial, Miles Liebenberg claimed the gold medal, followed by Adian Classen and Reitz Hofmeyr securing silver and bronze respectively. In the Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial, Megan Botha clinched gold, while Erin Mackridge and Carla Kotze took silver and bronze.

The Elite Men’s Individual Time Trial saw Ryan Gibbons seize gold, with Alan Hatherly and Brandon Downes claiming silver and bronze. In the Elite Women’s Individual Time Trial, Hayley Preen took home the gold, with Emma Pallant and Lucy Young earning silver and bronze.

In the U23 Men’s and Women’s Individual Time Trial, Dillon Geary and Anika Visser emerged victorious, with Pedri Crause, Travis Stedman, Lize-Ann Louw, and Arina Niyaki securing silver and bronze medals.

Moving on to the road races, Travis Rademan-Ludeke claimed gold in the Junior Men’s category, while Erin Mackridge secured gold in the Junior Women’s category. Ryan Gibbons continued his dominance with another gold in the Elite Men’s category, while Carla Oberholzer clinched gold in the Elite Women’s category.

Notably, Ryan Gibbons was awarded the overall gold medal for the 2024 National Championships in the men’s division.

South African Women’s Indoor Hockey
The South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team engaged in a thrilling six-test series against Switzerland, with Switzerland ultimately triumphing 2-1 in the series, concluding on February 3rd.

🏑 Switzerland seals the series with a late equalizer, drawing the final test with SPAR South Africa. The six-match series, marked by remarkable competition, had three draws as Switzerland claims a 2-1 victory.#AfricanAthletes #PodiumPursuit #IndoorHockey #Hockey pic.twitter.com/yiirB9kAFq

— THE PODIUM PURSUIT – ProTouch Africa 🌍 (@Podium_Pursuit) February 4, 2024

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.