South Africa’s Women’s senior national team continue their journey to return to the Olympics stage after missing out in the last occasion (2020). The 2024 Olympics will be hosted by France’s Paris from July 26 to August 11 and two legs await South Africa against Nigeria.
Banyana Banyana are in the final round of the qualifiers, the first scheduled encounter is set for the 5th of April in Nigeria, four days later is the return fixture on the 9th of April at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in South Africa.
In the thick of preparations for the crucial battle, I had the privilege of sitting down with one of the team's rising stars, a player who fell in love with the game from the age of 9-years old, little did she know that her journey to the national team would be nothing short of remarkable.
Lesego Nkoane is a dynamic midfielder who formed part of South Africa’s national youth ranks, having featured in the U17 and U20 National colours. Nkoane recently made her debut in the senior national squad, she shared her thoughts on being selected to represent her country in this significant tournament to clinch a spot to Paris 2024.
Reflecting on her early beginnings in football, she recounted how it all started Meadowlands Academy in 2011-2012. The following year (2013) she joined the High Performance Center (HPC) until 2015. From 2016 to 2019, the midfield wizard joined the University of Johannesburg (UJ) where she furthered her studies, balancing lectures with training sessions and matches. She also formed part of the University Sports South Africa (USSA) team for UJ Ladies.
But Nkoane’s journey wasn’t without trials and tribulations; “A moment in my career that was challenging was when I got injured and tore my ligament. That was the most difficult time in my football career and I didn't believe I’d come back from it until a friend of mine who had the same injury helped me bounce back.”
“From that moment I told myself that if I do come back from the injury, I am going to come back 10x better then what I was and I’m going to be the best version of myself. What also helped is that I had a dream of creating a name for myself and I wasn’t going to give up until I created a name for myself.”
Through the highs and lows, victories and setbacks, Nkoane remained unwavering in her commitment to achieving her dreams. Speaking on her journey from grassroots football to representing her country on the international stage, she acknowledged the pivotal role of her coaches and mentors in shaping her career.
“Coach Sizwe Sibiya - He was one coach who brought out something in me that I never thought I had. He shaped me and helped me improve as an athlete, he was able to push me beyond my limits and for that I will forever be grateful. Until this day, I will always carry his words of wisdom and everything he taught me.”
With the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers on the horizon, Nkoane left a message to South African supporters as they head into their match against the Super Falcons, she said, "We will do our best and work hard to qualify for the Olympics and overall make our nation proud."
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