Ezna Flattery Secures Aurora Capital SA Backing for Road Racing Dream

Sponsorship in sport tends to follow a familiar script. Brands chase the next big thing, the teenage prodigy, the rising star with a decade of headlines ahead of her. Aurora Capital SA has chosen to write a different story, announcing its backing of Masters athlete Ezna Flattery, a woman who only began her formal athletics journey in 2021, after years of putting family, work and personal commitments first. trojkonferencja2024.pl

It is a partnership that speaks directly to the theme of this Sponsorship edition, because what a sponsor chooses to back reveals what it values, and this one declares plainly that belief in women’s sport should never carry an age limit.

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Flattery’s beginning is the emotional engine of her story. When she joined Central Gauteng Masters Athletics in 2021, she was not easing into the sport. She targeted the 5,000m and 10,000m, won both and set Gauteng records in her age category, announcing herself as a competitor with lost time to make up and every intention of making it up quickly.

What followed was a competitive range that few athletes at any level would attempt. Her programme has grown to span the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m on the track, along with 10km road races, half-marathons and marathon-distance running. She is not a single-event specialist but a complete athlete, and she credits road running with keeping her physically and mentally sharp outside the track season while offering a different kind of competitive challenge.

The world took notice in 2025, when Flattery represented South Africa at the World Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida. The event drew around 7,000 athletes from 105 countries, with South Africa represented by just seven.

Flattery reached the final in every event she entered and returned home with a bronze medal in the 10km road race, a performance that confirmed her place among the best in the world in her category. It is exactly that record of quiet, relentless achievement that drew Aurora Capital SA to her corner.

“Ezna’s story is exactly the kind we are proud to support,” says Hercu Pienaar, Head of Marketing at Aurora Capital SA. “Her journey shows how performance, purpose, health and consistency can reinforce one another at every stage of life.”

“We see this sponsorship as an opportunity to support Ezna as an athlete, while also helping share a positive message with the wider community.”

Aurora Capital SA Head of Marketing, Hercu Pienaar

For Flattery, the backing changes the practical arithmetic of competing. Masters athletics carries real costs, and athletes at this level routinely fund their own travel, accommodation, entry fees, equipment and preparation. A main sponsor lifts that weight.

“To have Aurora Capital SA as my main sponsor is an incredible privilege and a major source of motivation,” says Flattery. “Masters athletics involves many costs, from travel and accommodation to entry fees, equipment, and preparation.”

“This support relieves that financial pressure and gives me the space to focus more fully on my training and performance.”

World Masters Indoor Championships Bronze Medalist, Ezna Flattery

The meaning of the partnership, she says, runs deeper than the financial relief. “It means there are people and an organisation that believe in me and are investing in this dream with me. That kind of support is invaluable,” says Flattery.

The road ahead is mapped with intent. Flattery is currently focused on road racing, particularly the 10km and 21.1km distances, and her upcoming calendar includes the Spar Women’s Race series and the Absa Run Your City events, two of the most visible platforms in South African road running and stages where her story will reach thousands of fellow runners.

The partnership is also looking beyond the finish line. Aurora Capital SA and Flattery are exploring community-focused initiatives linked to the sponsorship, which may include talks and small sessions with older communities, schools and local groups covering fitness, healthy lifestyle choices, goal-setting and basic financial awareness. It is a natural extension of a sponsorship built on the idea that performance and purpose reinforce one another.

For Flattery, the measure of success reaches past medals and records to the people her story might move. “I would like this journey to encourage people to start where they are. It does not have to be running.”

“If someone decides to walk, join a group, set a goal or take better care of themselves because of this story, that would mean a great deal to me.”

That is the quiet power of this partnership. Aurora Capital SA has not simply funded a season. It has amplified a message, and it is a reminder to every brand watching that when sponsors back women at every stage of life, the return is measured in far more than medals.

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Main Photo Caption: Masters athlete Ezna Flattery has secured the backing of Aurora Capital SA, a partnership that fuels her racing ambitions and her drive to inspire active, healthy living in communities around the country. All Photos: Supplied

Photo 2 Caption: From the 100m sprint to marathon distance running, Flattery has built an extraordinary competitive range since taking up the sport in 2021.

Photo 3 Caption: Flattery has represented South Africa, and wants her journey to encourage others to start where they are, no matter their age or their pace.

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L’AS Monaco a annoncé, ce mercred, cinq matchs amicaux pour son programme de reprise.

Avant le début de la Ligue 1 et les barrages de Ligue Conférence fin août, l’AS Monaco va disputer cinq matchs en pré-saison, et sera en stage en Angleterre pendant cinq jours du 9 au 14 août à St. George’s Park, le « Clairefontaine britannique ». Un lieu déjà choisi par l’ASM en 2023 et 2025

L’ASM jouera trois matchs amicaux en juillet, le samedi 18 juillet contre le club de National 1 de Saint-Priest à La Turbie, le samedi 25 juillet au Portugal face au Sporting CP au stade José Alvalade. Enfin, Monaco recevra à La Turbie, le vendredi 31 juillet contre le Cercle Bruges.

Au mois d’août, le club de la Principauté jouera le 6 face à Getafe au stade Louis-II. Lors de son arrivée en Angleterre, le club de Ligue 1, jouera le 9 contre Liverpool à Anfield.

The post Pré-saison : l’AS Monaco affrontera Liverpool début août à Anfield appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 8, 2026 – Defending champion Njoroge Kibugu produced a brilliant second-round performance to storm to the top of the leaderboard at the Absa Invitational, the fourth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, setting up an exciting final-round showdown at Nyali Golf & Country Club on Thursday.

The Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club professional, who began the day tied for 13th on level par, carded a composed 4-under par 67 on the par-71 course to move to 4-under par overall, reaffirming his status as one of the favourites on a course where he claimed victory last season.

Kibugu’s impressive round featured seven birdies on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 18th holes, with his only dropped shots coming on the 4th, 14th and 17th.

A confident Kibugu said he was pleased with how he managed his round and will remain focused heading into the decisive final day.

“I played solid golf today and gave myself plenty of opportunities. I hit the ball really well early on and got off to a good start. At some point, fatigue started to set in and I wasn’t hitting the driver as well off the tee, but overall, it was a solid round. I really like this golf course. It holds a special place in my heart. I’m excited to get back out there tomorrow and see what the final round has in store,” he said.

Hot on his heels are Greg Snow of Muthaiga Golf Club and Mohit Mediratta of Sigona Golf Club, who are tied for second place on 3-under par overall, just one shot behind the leader.

Snow carded a solid 2-under par 69, highlighted by birdies on the 5th, 7th and 10th, before producing a spectacular eagle on the par-five 11th.

Despite a bogey on the 2nd and a costly double-bogey on the 9th threatening to derail his charge, the experienced professional stayed composed to remain firmly in contention.

Mediratta also remained in the hunt after signing for a 1-under par 70.

He enjoyed a flying start with birdies on the 1st, 4th, 5th and 9th, making the turn atop the leaderboard.

Although the back nine proved more challenging, with birdies on the 11th and 16th offset by bogeys on the 10th 12th, 13th and 14th, he stayed within striking distance heading into the final round.

A further five players share fourth place on 2-under par overall, namely Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, Michael Karanga, Taimur Malik, David Wakhu and first-round leader Eric Ooko, ensuring the title race remains wide open.

Meanwhile, Samuel Njoroge produced the round of the day, firing a superb 5-under par 66 to erase his opening-round deficit and climb to ninth place on 1-under par overall.

His outstanding round featured birdies on the 1st, 5th, 7th, 11th, 12th and 17th, with his only blemish coming on the 4th hole.

After his impressive recovery, Njoroge said he was delighted to bounce back after a difficult opening round.

“I came into today determined to play well after yesterday’s round, which I wasn’t very happy with. I went back to the range after the round for some extra practice, and it paid off. Everything came together today, especially off the tee and on the greens, and I’m happy to have played myself back into contention. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow,” he said.

Nigeria’s Godwin Okoko also impressed, returning the second-best round of the day with a 4-under par 67.

His scorecard featured birdies on the 1st, 5th, 9th, 12th and 14th, with his only dropped shot coming on the 6th hole, lifting him back into contention ahead of the final day.

Okoko said consistency will be key if he is to challenge for the title.

“I stayed patient throughout the round and gave myself chances. It’s a good position to be in heading into the final day, and I’ll be looking to finish strongly,” he said.

A total of 34 players made the cut to play in the final round tomorrow where the leading players will battle it out over the final 18 holes for the Absa Invitational title, a share of the tournament’s KES 2 Million prize purse, as well as valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, which are crucial in the race for qualification to the main Sunshine Tour.

Western Province edged the Sharks on the third day of the U18 Craven Week in Gqeberha, while the Leopards, Eastern Province and Free State were also among the winners at Grey High School on Wednesday.

Day three of the U18 Craven Week witnessed several tight contests, with three of the four matches decided by 12 points or fewer.

WP and Free State claimed victories to extend their winning runs in the tournament, while the hosts and Leopards registered their first victories of the week.

The coastal derby staged on the Kolisi Field lived up to the hype, with the Sharks taking a slender five-point lead into the break. The KwaZulu-Natalians troubled WP at the set pieces and breakdowns after half-time, and converted that dominance into a 15-point lead.

WP fought back to reduce the deficit in the dying stages, and the Sharks conceded two yellow cards in quick succession. With full-time approaching, a third Sharks player was sent to the sin bin, and WP fullback Achmat Behardien kicked a penalty goal to clinch a dramatic 24-22 win.

Other matches

Earlier in the day, Free State scored three late tries to claim a 38-26 win over South Western Districts. Fullback Lamla Mgedezi scored a brace for the Cheetahs, while flyhalf Samson Lackay contributed 13 points.

Boland and EP enjoyed a similarly tight battle, although the hosts took control of the contest in the second half, with scrumhalf Luke Doyle scoring a try in the 64th minute to extend his team’s lead to eight points. Boland scored a converted try at the death, but EP hung on for a 32-31 victory.

The Leopards recorded the biggest win of the day when they thumped the Limpopo Blue Bulls 57-14. Outside centre Marques Jantjies scored a hat-trick for the North West side while flyhalf Ricardo Enos slotted six conversions.

The U18 Craven Week continues at Grey High on Thursday, with the Griffons fronting the Valke at 10am, and the Golden Lions tackling Western Province XV in the big match later in the day.

U18 Craven Week results – day three (Wednesday, 8 July):

Leopards 57 (31) Limpopo Blue Bulls 14 (7)

Boland 31 (17) Eastern Province 32 (17)

Free State 38 (19) South Western Districts 26 (19)

Western Province 24 (7) Sharks 22 (12)

U18 Craven Week fixtures – day four (Thursday, 9 July):

10am: Griffons v Valke

11:45am: Border v Pumas

1:30pm: Blue Bulls v Griquas

3:30pm: Golden Lions v Western Province XV