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Quiz about AZZA South African Sports Stars
Quiz about AZZA South African Sports Stars

A-Z/ZA: South African Sports Stars Quiz


'ZA' is the international code for South Africa. This quiz is about a few of their sports stars who have made international fame.

A multiple-choice quiz by 51percent. Estimated time: 8 mins.
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Author
51percent
Time
8 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
262,568
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
18 / 25
Plays
701
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 25
1. A - This South African cricketer is as well known for his large full beard and shaved head, as he is known for his batting and bowling abilities. He's a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler, who made his test debut for South Africa against India in the 2004-05 season. Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. B - Nicknamed "Nasty Booter" by the British press, this South African rugby player was the highest points scorer in springbok rugby history, until July 2004. He had an amazing ability to drop kick goals and score tries. After his retirement he became a rugby commentator on TV. Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. C - In 2005, this South African made a record eleventh win at the Molokai World Surf Ski Championships, ten of which were consecutive wins. He has also won the South Africa Iron Man competition four times. Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. D - This South African swimmer made sporting history in 2002 by being the first athlete with a disability to qualify for the finals in an able bodied event, when she qualified for the 800m freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She won gold for the 800m freestyle at the All-Africa Games in 2003. Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. E - What South African golfer is known as the "Big Easy"?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 6 of 25
6. F - Known as the "Comrades King", this runner won the Comrades Marathon eight times in succession from 1981 to 1988, and nine times overall, breaking the record for the up and down runs. He also won the London to Brighton marathon three times in a row, 1981-82-83. Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. G - At the 2007 Cricket World cup, this South African batsman made history when he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a ODI match. Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. H - She was the first South African to win gold at the Olympics after 44 years. She won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in Atlanta in 1996. Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. I - This young golfer was the 2006 Rookie of the Year on the USA PGA tour. His first win was the Western Open in 2006, where he beat Tiger Woods by 2 strokes, and he ended the year as seventh on the money list. Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. J - In 1979, this South African was crowned Formula One world champion. He drove for Ferrari that year. Ferrari did not have another world champion until Michael Shumacher won the title in 2000, 21 years later. Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. K - This soccer player represented South Africa 50 times, from 1992 to 2004, scoring nine goals for Bafana Bafana. He started his career with Kaizer Chiefs, a SA premier league team. He was the "mid-field maestro" of South African soccer. Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. L - From barefoot water-skiing to motor racing to F1 powerboat racing, this sportsman has done well in all. He dominated South African Formula One powerboat racing, with 15 titles between 1981 and 1989. In 1989 he won the British Powerboat Grand Prix. Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. M - This South African boxer was the first to win four world titles; the WBO flyweight, WBO junior flyweight, IBA junior flyweight and WBU junior flyweight titles. This boxer ended his career in 2002 with a win over Juan Herrera. In his time, he managed 52 wins, two draws and 12 losses. Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. N - The story of this cricketer's rise to fame is like a fairy tale. He came from humble beginnings in a small rural village, where he tended the cattle. A development officer looking for youngsters with talent that could be developed gave him a ball, and asked him to bowl. His debut with the Protea team was in January 1998. Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. O - This pole-vaulter set the African record in 1995 with a best vault of 6.03 meters. He competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. P - This South African golfer won 163 international tournaments from 1953 to 1987. He is also one of the few players to win golf's Grand Slam, and the first golfer to win the British Open in three different decades. Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. Q - This South African sprinter won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 meters relay at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. The team was promoted to gold medallists following a ruling, which retroactively disqualified the U.S. team. Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. R - Leeds United fans called him "The Chief". South African soccer fans know him as one of the most capped footballers for Bafana Bafana. He retired from professional soccer in 2005, after 70 caps for South Africa. Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. S - This 800m runner was the first South African man to win a track and field Olympic medal since 1928, when he won the silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. T - Known as the surf world's first real professional, this South African surfer was crowned world champion in 1977. In 1975 he won the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii. He remained in the top 16 on the world surf tour list, from its inception, until 1989. Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. V - This Springbok rugby player retired after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, with a record number of caps (89, of which 8 were as captain), and the most tries (38). Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. W - This South African won the World Bowls Outdoor Singles championship in 1976. In the same competition he also won the pairs. Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. Y - This South African netball player made a name for herself as part of the under 21 National team that toured England. She then represented her country in a tour to Fiji and New Zealand in 2006. She was selected for the national team to tour England in 2007, but was killed in a car crash in December 2006. Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. Z - She is probably best known for running barefoot, and for being involved in the Mary Decker incident at the 1984 Olympic 3000 meter event. This athlete made her mark on world sports during the 1980's. She broke the women's 5000 meter world record in 1984 and 1985, and was World Cross Country champion in 1985 and 1986. Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. Partners - These two are the first South Africans in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. They are one of the greatest doubles pairings in the history of tennis, with 57 career titles behind their names. This was a record for a doubles team, which was only broken in 2001. Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. A - This South African cricketer is as well known for his large full beard and shaved head, as he is known for his batting and bowling abilities. He's a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler, who made his test debut for South Africa against India in the 2004-05 season.

Answer: Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla was the first South African of Indian descent to reach the national team. He is a devout Muslim, and has managed to have all logos promoting alcohol removed from his playing gear. He has captained the SA National U-19 side, as well as the Dolphins, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial side. Ahmed Amla is his older brother.
2. B - Nicknamed "Nasty Booter" by the British press, this South African rugby player was the highest points scorer in springbok rugby history, until July 2004. He had an amazing ability to drop kick goals and score tries. After his retirement he became a rugby commentator on TV.

Answer: Naas Botha

Naas Botha is probably the only rugby player to have a rose named after him. It is the "Rosa Naas Botha". He was the flyhalf and kicker for the Springbok team from 1980 to 1992. He was capped 56 times, and scored 312 points for the Springboks during his career. Percy Montgomery overtook Naas with points scored in 2004.
3. C - In 2005, this South African made a record eleventh win at the Molokai World Surf Ski Championships, ten of which were consecutive wins. He has also won the South Africa Iron Man competition four times.

Answer: Oscar Chalupsky

Oscar Chalupsky has also represented South Africa in the 1992 Olympics as captain and participant in the canoe team. He holds various South African and international titles.
4. D - This South African swimmer made sporting history in 2002 by being the first athlete with a disability to qualify for the finals in an able bodied event, when she qualified for the 800m freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She won gold for the 800m freestyle at the All-Africa Games in 2003.

Answer: Natalie Du Toit

Natalie du Toit had her left leg amputated in February 2001, after an accident. She was 17 at the time. This amazing woman subsequently competed in and won medals in many Paralympics and Commonwealth multi-disability events, breaking records on the way. Natalie has also competed in able -bodied events and has won medal in these too.
5. E - What South African golfer is known as the "Big Easy"?

Answer: Ernie Els

His full name is Theodore Ernest Els. Ernie turned pro in 1991 at the age of 19. He is one of the most successful golfers in South Africa and the world. He is known as the "Big Easy" due to his large stature and seemingly effortless golf swing. He won 62 tournaments in his first 15 years as a professional golfer.
6. F - Known as the "Comrades King", this runner won the Comrades Marathon eight times in succession from 1981 to 1988, and nine times overall, breaking the record for the up and down runs. He also won the London to Brighton marathon three times in a row, 1981-82-83.

Answer: Bruce Fordyce

The Comrades marathon is an annual 90 km marathon from Durban and Pietermaritzburg (up run) or from Pietermaritzburg to Durban (down run). His fastest Comrades marathon was in 1988 when he finished a down run in 5:27:42, a full 10 minutes ahead of the next runner. In 1984 Bruce Fordyce set a United States all comer record in the 50 mile marathon in Chicago, clocking up a time of 4:50:51.
7. G - At the 2007 Cricket World cup, this South African batsman made history when he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a ODI match.

Answer: Herschelle Gibbs

Herschelle is one of the Protea's best batsmen with over 5000 Test runs and over 6000 ODI runs. He is also an excellent fielder, and bowls in first class matches. When Herschelle is on form there is no stopping him, with many centuries and half centuries to his name. However, he also has a fair share of ducks and many matches where he has failed to make 10 runs.
8. H - She was the first South African to win gold at the Olympics after 44 years. She won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in Atlanta in 1996.

Answer: Penny Heyns

Penny Heynes held 14 records for breaststroke. During the 1999 Pan Pacific games, she broke 6 world records, (many of them her own previous records), and by the end of 1999 she held the record for the 50m, 100m and 200m long course breaststroke, simultaneously.
9. I - This young golfer was the 2006 Rookie of the Year on the USA PGA tour. His first win was the Western Open in 2006, where he beat Tiger Woods by 2 strokes, and he ended the year as seventh on the money list.

Answer: Trevor Immelman

Trevor was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and started playing golf at the age of 5. He turned professional in 1999. After winning the Western Open, he moved up to number 15 on the world rankings list.
10. J - In 1979, this South African was crowned Formula One world champion. He drove for Ferrari that year. Ferrari did not have another world champion until Michael Shumacher won the title in 2000, 21 years later.

Answer: Jody Scheckter

Jody Scheckter started Formula One racing with McLaren in 1972, at the age of 22. In 1974 he moved across to Tyrrell. Jody joined the Ferrari team in 1979, and won in Italy, Monaco and Belgium. He retired from racing in 1980 after a poor season. In his career, he took part in 113 grand prix races, winning 10 of them, and placing second or third in a further 24 races.
11. K - This soccer player represented South Africa 50 times, from 1992 to 2004, scoring nine goals for Bafana Bafana. He started his career with Kaizer Chiefs, a SA premier league team. He was the "mid-field maestro" of South African soccer.

Answer: Doctor Khumalo

Theophilus "Doctor" Khumalo stayed with Kaizer Chiefs for his whole career, only leaving them briefly for overseas playing period. He played for the Argentinian club Ferrocarril Oeste for six months in 1995, and for the Columbus Crew in 1996. Since retirement, he has coached and been a television soccer commentator.
12. L - From barefoot water-skiing to motor racing to F1 powerboat racing, this sportsman has done well in all. He dominated South African Formula One powerboat racing, with 15 titles between 1981 and 1989. In 1989 he won the British Powerboat Grand Prix.

Answer: Peter Lindenberg

Peter Lindenberg first made his mark in world sports by winning the European barefoot water-skiing title in 1977. In 1981 he became a record holder in the ramp jump. This was the same year he won his first powerboat racing title. Unfortunately for Peter, the top of his career coincided with the height of sanctions against South Africa.
13. M - This South African boxer was the first to win four world titles; the WBO flyweight, WBO junior flyweight, IBA junior flyweight and WBU junior flyweight titles. This boxer ended his career in 2002 with a win over Juan Herrera. In his time, he managed 52 wins, two draws and 12 losses.

Answer: "Baby Jake" Matlala

In an interview, "Baby Jake" describes himself as not much taller than the average hobbit. He says this is part of the reason why he quit boxing at the age of 40. He had run out of small people to fight. "Baby Jake" Matlala is 4ft 10in or 147 cm tall.
14. N - The story of this cricketer's rise to fame is like a fairy tale. He came from humble beginnings in a small rural village, where he tended the cattle. A development officer looking for youngsters with talent that could be developed gave him a ball, and asked him to bowl. His debut with the Protea team was in January 1998.

Answer: Makhaya Ntini

Makhaya was spotted by Raymond Booi, and it was arranged for him to attend school at Dale College. When Makhaya arrived there at the age of 14, he couldn't speak a word of English. He has since developed into a role model for youngsters, and one of the world's top cricketers.
15. O - This pole-vaulter set the African record in 1995 with a best vault of 6.03 meters. He competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.

Answer: Okkert Brits

Until the end of 2006, only 14 pole-vaulters had reached a height of 6 meters or more, (about 19 ft. 8 in.). Okkert's height of 6.03m was the fourth best.
16. P - This South African golfer won 163 international tournaments from 1953 to 1987. He is also one of the few players to win golf's Grand Slam, and the first golfer to win the British Open in three different decades.

Answer: Gary Player

Gary Player is known as the Black Knight because of the all-black clothing he wears when playing. He scored a 59 in the Brazilian Open in 1974.

Gary won the British Open in 1959, 1968 and 1974.
He was named the South African Sportman of the twentieth century. He is truly a golfing legend.
17. Q - This South African sprinter won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 meters relay at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. The team was promoted to gold medallists following a ruling, which retroactively disqualified the U.S. team.

Answer: Matthew Quinn

The other members of the relay team were Morne Nagel, Corne Du Plessis and Lee Roy Newton. Matthew's personal best times were 10.08s for the 100m and 20.69s for the 200m events.
Patrick Quka is a South African boxer and bantamweight champion.
18. R - Leeds United fans called him "The Chief". South African soccer fans know him as one of the most capped footballers for Bafana Bafana. He retired from professional soccer in 2005, after 70 caps for South Africa.

Answer: Lucas Radebe

This is another fairy tale come true. Lucas was born in Diepkloof, Soweto, one of 11 children. It was only at the age of 15 that he started playing soccer. He had been sent away from home and the violence in the area to Bophuthatswana, one of the homelands in apartheid South Africa. Lucas started his professional career with Kaizer Chiefs before moving to Leeds United.
19. S - This 800m runner was the first South African man to win a track and field Olympic medal since 1928, when he won the silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

Answer: Hezekiel Sepeng

Hezekiel has a Sports Management degree from Rand Afrikaans University. He broke the South African 800m record in 1999 at the Golden League Athletics meeting in Brussels, with a time of 1:42:69.
20. T - Known as the surf world's first real professional, this South African surfer was crowned world champion in 1977. In 1975 he won the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii. He remained in the top 16 on the world surf tour list, from its inception, until 1989.

Answer: Shaun Thomson

Shaun's surfing is immortalized in Bill Delaney's film "Free Ride". Back in the 1970s, surfers were generally long-haired non-conformists, and surfing competitions were backyard events with little prize money. Shaun Thomson helped competitive surfing evolve to where it is today.
21. V - This Springbok rugby player retired after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, with a record number of caps (89, of which 8 were as captain), and the most tries (38).

Answer: Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost is considered to be South Africa's best scrum-half of all times. He played in the 1995, 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups. He was named as one of SA's Top 5 players of the Year six times.
22. W - This South African won the World Bowls Outdoor Singles championship in 1976. In the same competition he also won the pairs.

Answer: Doug Watson

Doug Watson partnered with Bill Moseley to win the pairs.
23. Y - This South African netball player made a name for herself as part of the under 21 National team that toured England. She then represented her country in a tour to Fiji and New Zealand in 2006. She was selected for the national team to tour England in 2007, but was killed in a car crash in December 2006.

Answer: Yvonne Phiri

Yvonne Phiri, aged 21, was on her way home from a national team training camp when she was involved in a car accident. She played in center and wing defence positions, and was described as being one of the brightest young stars of the team.
24. Z - She is probably best known for running barefoot, and for being involved in the Mary Decker incident at the 1984 Olympic 3000 meter event. This athlete made her mark on world sports during the 1980's. She broke the women's 5000 meter world record in 1984 and 1985, and was World Cross Country champion in 1985 and 1986.

Answer: Zola Budd

The first time that Zola Budd broke the 5000 meter world record was at an event held in South Africa, during the time of apartheid, and the record was never officially recognized. Zola managed to obtain British citizenship in 1984, in time for the Olympic games, and represented Britain in the 3000m event.
When Mary Decker bumped into Zola from behind, she stumbled and fell. Zola was accused of tripping her. However, the IAAF found that she was not responsible.
25. Partners - These two are the first South Africans in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. They are one of the greatest doubles pairings in the history of tennis, with 57 career titles behind their names. This was a record for a doubles team, which was only broken in 2001.

Answer: Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan

Hewitt and McMillan began playing doubles together in 1966. The first time they lost a match was their forty-fifth match. They won the Wimbledon doubles title three times, in 1967, 1972 and 1978, the French Open in 1972, and the US Open in 1977.
Source: Author 51percent

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