MBABANE – A star in the making.
Teenage taekwondo sensation Siphiwokuhle Ndlela has snatched a bronze medal at the inaugural African Schools Games in Algiers, Algeria, raising Eswatini’s flag high on the continental stage.
Ndlela, who is part of a nine-team delegation, competed in her category two days ago. She advanced straight to the semi-finals after her opponent from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was disqualified for failing to make the required weight.
In the semi-final, Ndlela faced a competitor from the host nation, Algeria. Her coach, Mbongeni Nsibandze, praised her performance.
“She fought very well against the Algerian girl who had home-ground advantage. This was one of the most exciting fights of the day in their division,” Nsibandze said. “Ndlela won the first round 2-0. She was superior in all aspects.”
However, the second round saw a shift in momentum. The Algerian opponent fought back fiercely and Ndlela appeared to lose focus, perhaps intimidated by the home crowd. She conceded several penalty points, and the round ended with a decisive 9-0 loss for the Eswatini athlete.
The third and final round was the decider. Ndlela fell behind early after conceding more penalty points, trailing by five points with just one minute left.
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