23/05/2026
The 65th South African Chinese Sports Festival was successfully held from April 3 to 6, 2026, at the Heart Felt Arena in Pretoria. The event was organized by the South African Chinese Sports Association. Over 600 athletes from South Africa, Namibia, Réunion, and other countries participated in various sports such as basketball, badminton, golf, and Paddle tennis.
Nearly 100 individuals competed in the badminton events, with participants ranging in age from as young as 7 to 70 years old. Among them were the 2025 U 13 Women’s Singles National Champion of South Africa, the 2025 U15 Women’s Singles National Champion, the 2026 April U 19 Women’s Singles National Champion, a 2026 April U19 Men’s Singles National Runner-Up, a World Masters Championship winner, and numerous other prominent South African Chinese amateur badminton players.
The team from South Gauteng Province won the A-Group championship, while the team from the Western Cape Province won the B-Group championship.
Emily Li was awarded the title of Best Female Player in Badminton, having won the 2026 April Bloemfontein South African U19 Women’s Singles National Championship and also becoming a triple champion in women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Gordon Jia was awarded the title of Best Male Player in Badminton, having finished second in the 2026 April Bloemfontein South African U19 Men’s Singles Nationals.
At the awards ceremony on April 6, representatives of China were present. Zhou Yu-Jiang, Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General in Johannesburg, presented them with trophies and prizes.