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SA hockey teams shine

Johannesburg - The South African men's and women's hockey teams won their respective titles at the Africa Cup Olympic qualifying tournament in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on Sunday.

The men's side beat Egypt 1-0 in the final after the women's squad had defeated Kenya with a resounding 5-0 victory.

In the early stages of the men's final, a great ball by leading tournament goalscorer Justin Reid-Ross freed Tim Drummond, but the cross was well cleared by Egyptian captain Mohamed Kasbr.

The South Africans won two penalty corners in quick succession, and after Reid-Ross's initial effort went wide, his second cannoned into the upright and stayed out.

Midway through the first half, nippy Egyptian forward Ahmed Gamal fired a shot past the far post before Ahmed Hakim brought out a brilliant diving save from SA goalkeeper Brendon Botes.

A minute after the break, a great move led to another SA penalty corner, but Gareth Carr's effort was well saved by keeper Osama Hassanein.

Less than 60 seconds later, however, SA captain Wade Paton put his side 1-0 ahead after finding the back of the net.

With SA running rampant in an effort to extend their lead, Hassanein made a fine glove save from a Reid-Ross penalty corner before Drummond fired over the horizontal bar following a superb movement upfield.

Egypt came back hard, however, for Hakim and Gamal to bring saves from an alert Botes before playmaker Ezze Ahmed flicked into the side-netting after a run down the right.

The SA women's team had earlier romped to a convincing victory over Kenya to lift the title.

Tarryn Bright, Sulette Damons and Cindy Botha all scored in the first half to give the South Africans a 3-0 lead at the break, and Bernadette Coston added a brace in the second period to seal the win.

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