The winners for the annual National English Olympiad have been chosen and Khelan Desai from St. John’s College is this year’s winner.
South Africa (12 July 2022) – The winners of the 2022 National English Olympiad have been announced. Khelan Desai from St. John’s College has won the National English Olympiad this year.
The National English Olympiad is an English language and literature competition that draws over 8000 entries each year from around South Africa and its neighbouring countries. The competition is organised jointly by the Grahamstown Foundation and the South African Council for English Education. It was started in 1976 by Dr Malcolm Venter.
Candidates who enter and write the English Olympiad are eligible for a certificate indicating their achievements, as follows: (Participation (49% or less), Merit (50-59%), Bronze (60-69%), Silver (70-79%) or Gold (80%+).
We spoke to Khelan to ask him how it felt to win?
“It feels incredible but definitely a bit surreal to have won! I didn’t really enter the competition thinking I would win, so I was as shocked as anyone when I found out I won”
Having won the top prize, Khelan has earned himself some prize money too. We asked what he planned to spend his winnings on and he said he is putting some of the money towards his education fund for university and maybe upgrading his phone.
We asked him what inspired him to enter the olympiad and what advice he has for other students who are thinking of entering the 2023 olympiad.
“The english Olympiad definitely helped me to develop my writing and critical thinking skills. So I would say that it definitely helped me, as basically every subject needs some combination of these skills.
I would heavily encourage all students to give the Olympiad a shot. I entered in on an impulse, so it may very well be the case that you are the next winner too! Beyond that though, the skills the Olympiad imparts are invaluable and worthwhile for every student, even if you’re not particularly passionate about English”
The Head of English at St. John’s College, Fiona Kampmann shared some words of pride and praise for Khelan’s accomplishment.
“Khelan is a worthy winner of the English Olympiad and we are absolutely delighted that he has won the English Olympiad. Khelan is a self-effacing student who gets on with the many demands that school places on him. He writes superbly and imaginatively – skills which stood him in good stead for the challenges of the Olympiad. I am privileged to teach him and to have had the opportunity to read his work over the last year and a half.”
“The English Department and St John’s College are immensely proud of him particularly because he has achieved this honour while managing the many varied demands of being in matric. While I am certain that Khelan’s English teachers have all collectively made some contribution to his understanding and skill, this is an award that must be attributed to his efforts and his sophisticated creative abilities.”
Take a look at the top 10 winners for the Home Language (HL) section below.
- Khelan Desai, St John’s College
- Melinda Reyneke, Pretoria Chinese School
- Zahra Kücük, Roedean School South Africa
- Katya Jamie, St Cyprian’s School
- Shannon Blades, Durban Girls’ College
- Ilani-Mari Prinsloo, St Anne’s Diocesan College
- Yaseen Romaney, Westerford High School
- Abigail Oberhölzer, St John’s DSG
- Nerissa Rajkaran, Crawford College La Lucia
- Gia Antoni, St Cyprian’s School
Take a look at the top 10 winners for the First Additional Language (FAL) section below.
- Panashe Manyengawane, Blue Hills College
- Ravele Ramabulana, Mbilwi Secondary School
- Makafane Ntlamelle, Machabeng College Lesotho
- Mfanelo Baloyi, Khanyisa Education Centre
- Fariha Santi, Machabeng College Lesotho
- Chevonne Erasmus, Curro Hermanus
- Poloko Hlalele, Machabeng College Lesotho
- Shané Visser, Langenhoven Gimnasium
- Limakatso Liphoto, Machabeng College Lesotho
- Zimbini Sintwa, Ntsika Secondary School
The best part is, the Top 50 candidates (Top 42 HL and Top 8 FAL candidates) are offered free tuition scholarships for their first year of any programme of study at Rhodes University, after successful completion of their Matriculation examination, subject to their meeting the University’s normal entry requirements.
If you or your child would be interested in entering the next competition, you can find out all the details here. Closing date for the next year is on the 30th of September 2022.
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