Bontle Madalane believes her passion in sports during her matric year helped her keep calm when it came to her studies, hence she managed to clinch eight distinctions.
Despite having to juggle between three sporting codes and her school work, the Reddam House Helderfontein pupil said working hard is just something that had always been part of her since grade 1, and she just pushed harder when she got older.
However, she had to make a few sacrifices in her matric year, the sacrifices that saw her obtain eight distinctions.
"On the things that I had to sacrifice during my matric was definitely not attending events on weekends and used that time to study. But one I would not have sacrificed was sports, it was a really good refresher. I had to choose things that would build me."
Bontle believes she is an overachiever. When she was doing grade 10 she went to represent SA in the United Kingdom for touch rugby . In grade 11 she was given a white blazer. "A white blazer is achieved when a student excels in three disciplines. Mine were academics, honours in sports for representing [my school] nationally and full colours in public speaking nationally," she said.
She offered her gratitude to God and her family who consistently prayed for her during exams.
"Another Reddam House Helderfontein pupil, Anele Mpofu, bagged seven distinction.
With matric being different from the previous years, Anele said she had not been sure what to expect, which also led to a drop in her performance in term 1. "Given that I had slightly dropped in my school work, it became difficult for me to continue staying motivated."
However, getting all those distinctions has filled her with immerse happiness.
She said she was glad to have maintained that A-plus standard despite falling short in term 1.
Anele will soon be jetting off to Cape Town to study towards a BA in fashion design at Sedisa Fashion School. "I have always had a love for creative things. Eversince I was young I always admired art.
"I would sew clothes for my dolls, and today I have mannequins and I've designed their clothes.
"So, I am deciding on honing that skill of mine in my studies," said Anele.
Bontle is torn as a number of universities have accepted her. However, her preference is University of Cape Town for its academics and the University of Pretoria because of her passion for sports.
"I had to consider which one will give me both, and UP looks like it will give me the best of both worlds," she said.
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