These four rising stars are challenging expectations, breaking new ground and showing young girls across the country that there is a place for them in sport.
South Africa (21 August 2026) – As Women’s Month comes to an end, SuperSport Schools celebrates four young South African athletes who are offering a glimpse of what the future of women’s sport could look like, and their journeys have all started on school fields, courts and tracks.
From sprinting and netball to rugby and football, Rumé Burger, Sophia Liebenberg, Silakhe Masizana and Bilqees Salie are making their mark in very different ways. Their achievements are impressive, but so are the stories behind them.
For Burger, the athletics track has already taken her well beyond school sport. The 18-year-old from Oranje Meisieskool announced herself in 2025 when she won the senior 200m at the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships in 23.49 seconds, becoming a senior national champion while still a schoolgirl. She also took bronze in the senior 100m before adding U18 gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m.
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On the netball court, Paarl Gimnasium’s Sophia Liebenberg is making an impact in a position where the work is not always as obvious on the scoreboard.
The wing defence has developed a reputation for her reading of the game, pressure and ability to create turnovers. Her performances in 2026 have earned plenty of recognition, including being named Paarl Gimnasium’s best player against Affies in the Suzuki Netball Power Series.
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The talented hooker has come through the Eastern Province pathway, represented the province at U18 level and played for the South African U18 Girls team against the Netherlands in 2025.
This year, she was selected for the Eastern Province U18 Girls team at the FNB U18 Girls’ Week before earning another significant opportunity: a place in the inaugural SA Schools Girls team selected by SA Rugby, wearing the No 2 jersey.
And then there is Bilqees Salie, who is showing that there is plenty of room for young women to shine between the posts.
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The Grade 12 learner from Curro Century City enjoyed a standout 2026 season at the Engen Knockout Tournament, where she was named both Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Player of the Tournament in the Senior Ladies category.
In doing so, Salie became the first goalkeeper in the tournament’s history to win the Player of the Tournament award.
Behind every one of these journeys is also a wider group of people (coaches, teachers, teammates, parents and communities) giving young athletes the chance to develop.
And with athletes like Burger, Liebenberg, Masizana and Salie already making their presence felt, the next generation of South African women in sport has plenty to look forward to.
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