OWN CORRESPONDENT
Uys told the audience that he thought his life was over after a terrible car accident in 2014, only to find that he had embarked on a whole new chapter.
“I thought life as I knew it was over as all my dreams and aspirations got shattered in mere seconds as my car left the road, flying into the abyss of broken dreams and a life trapped in a wheelchair,” he said.
“A few years later, in 2019, I rolled down the red carpet of the Ironman race, becoming the first South African paraplegic to successfully complete the ultimate endurance challenge. My strength came from my brokenness. Maybe, just maybe, everything of my past was preparing me for this life I am living now, disabled yes, but only physically.
“I realised that to fully embrace this new life and everything that it held for me, I had to let go of my past, of what happened to me, and leap into the unknown, and what a life it has proven to be!”
The Herzlia sports prizegiving ceremony is an important part of the school calendar. An array of awards were handed out culminating in the Premiere Awards, which went to Ben Vogelman and Nicholas Arelisky, middle school sportsmen of the year; and Chloe Gershurny, middle school sportswoman of the year.
For the high school, the Hebrew Order of David International Cup for Grade 12 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year was shared by Brandon Schneider and Jamie Sulcas for the boys, and Jenna Isserow for the girls. The cup is awarded to pupils for their commitment, professionalism, and good sportsmanship, as well as being the best overall sportsman or woman in Grade 12.
The Ian Payne Award for service to school sport went to Jamie Sulcas for his dedication to chess, futsal, and soccer during his high school career, and the leadership role he played within the Student Leadership Council as head of sport in 2019.
The winners of the Grade 12 Sportsmanship Cup, awarded to pupils in Grade 12 who display the best attributes of sportsmanship as well as being an ambassador for Herzlia at all times during their school-sports career, were Avi Zieff and Ben Zieff for the boys’ cup and Carla Kassel and Chiara Levin for the girls’ cup.
