BLAST FROM THE PAST | Third time lucky for Gerrie Coetzee

1976 — The apartheid government announces a new sports policy, aimed at appeasing mounting critics by allowing competition across race groups. But it is soon slated because, while permitting members of different race groups to compete against each other, it didn’t allow for mixed teams at club level. It catered only for window-dressing at national level.

1983 — Gerrie Coetzee makes it third time lucky as he knocks out Michael Dokes in the 10th round to win the WBA heavyweight title in Richfield, Ohio. “The Boksburg Bomber” had failed to win the belt on two previous attempts, losing on points to John Tate in 1979 and getting knocked out by Mike Weaver in 1980.

2000 — Ian Holness scores two home runs and sets up Darryl Gonsalves for a run as South Africa beat giant-killing Netherlands 3-2 at the Sydney Olympics. It was South Africa’s only win of the tournament and came against a side that had shocked Cuba, the eventual silver medallists, a few days earlier.

2001 — Herschelle Gibbs scores 125 from 112 deliveries as the Proteas trounce Zimbabwe by 153 runs in the first ODI in Bulawayo. South Africa posted 363/3 and then restricted the home side to 210/5.

2001 — Zolani Petelo takes on strawweight legend Ricardo Lopez of Mexico for the IBF junior-flyweight title, but he surrenders in the eighth round, staying down as he is counted out.

2006 — Shaun Rubenstein wins a tough tussle to take the men’s K1 marathon gold at the ICF Canoe world championships in Trémolat, France, edging Spaniards Manuel Busto Fernandez and Emilio Merchan Alonso by a second. The South African clocked 2hr 33min 35sec.

2012 — Simon van Gysen and Jasper Mocke take bronze in the men’s K2 marathon at the ICF Canoe world championships in Rome, one position in front of countrymen Hank McGregor and Grant van der Walt.

2018 — Brad Binder wins the Aragon motorcycle grand prix in Spain for the second Moto2 triumph of his career.

2023 — In one of the most anticipated group matches of the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks, ranked second in the world, go down 8-13 to world No.1 Ireland at Stade de France. Cheslin Kolbe scored South Africa’s only try, but four missed kicks, including the conversion, cost the defending champions, who stacked their bench with seven forwards.