Although the Kovsies missed out on a place in the final of the Varsity Netball tournament, they still had reason to celebrate when one of their players was declared as the competition’s best player. Khomotso Mamburu was named Player of the Tournament as she earned the most votes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The other two finalists were Romé Dreyer of NWU and Tshina Mdau of UP-Tuks.
Mamburu become the fourth player from Kovsies to win the award. In 2013 Ané Botha walked away with the honours and in 2014 and 2015 it went to Karla Mostert.
The 22-year old Mamburu, a SA Under-21 player last year, played both wing and goal defence. It was only her second full Varsity Netball campaign as she did not make the starting line-up in 2014 and 2015. She had to compete with Tanya Mostert at wing defence and with Karla Mostert at goal defence.
Burta de Kock, coach of the Kovsies, said Mamburu is a player that gives everything on court.
“She is capable of switching between positions with ease. Khomotso is an example because of her holistic attitude towards the game and her humanity. She always shows happiness.”
Mamburu, who was also a finalist for the award last year, is studying LLB law in her fourth year. A week after she got the news that she was a finalist, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced that her boyfriend, the long jumper, Luvo Manyonga, is a finalist for the Men’s Athlete of the Year. He won the goal medal at the World Championship in August.
* For the second consecutive year Dreyer earned the most votes from fellow players and was named the Players’ Player of the Tournament. Shadine van der Merwe and Marlize de Bruin, both of Tuks, got the second and third most votes.
Dreyer, a centre who possesses a very strong pass, was one of the most consistent players and an integral part of the NWU success. She is one of two players in the tournament that will play for the South African Fast5 team at the end of the month in Melbourne in the Fast5 World Series. The other is Charmaine Baard of Maties.
