Today in SA sport history: October 19

1954 — Jake Tuli, already considered to be on the wane despite being only 23 years old, loses his Empire flyweight title to unbeaten Welshman Dai Dower on points over 15 rounds at Harringay Stadium in London. The winner had been promised a world title crack, although that materialised only in 1957, with Dower getting knocked out in one round.

1970 — Manfred Fiess, an instrument maker from Pretoria who had been shooting for only two years, equals the world record with a score of 598 out of 600 to win the men’s rifle prone competition at the shooting world championships in Phoenix. Ann de Vos gave South Africa a second medal at the tournament, claiming silver in the women’s 50m rifle prone with a score of 591, just one point behind winner Desanka Perovic of Yugoslavia. The Roodepoort markswoman also finished fourth in the women’s 10m air rifle, scoring the same number of points as the silver and bronze medallists. At his next world championship four years later Fiess scored 596 to finish fifth. He continued competing for a quarter of a century and was still good enough to make the podium at the African championships in 1993 and 1995.

1996 — Gary Kirsten scores an unbeaten 105 as the Proteas beat Australia by seven wickets in a triangular tournament ODI at Indore. South Africa restricted the Aussies to 219/7, with Allan Donald taking 3/57 and spinner Pat Symcox 1/28.

1996 — Phillip Holiday defends his IBF lightweight title by outpointing Joel Diaz of Mexico at the Wembley stadium in Johannesburg.

1997 — Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and David Frost give South Africa a 2-1 win over Sweden in the final at St Andrews to lift the Alfred Dunhill Cup, a medal matchplay tournament. Els shot three-under-par 69 to win his match against Joakim Haeggman by three strokes and Goosen fired two-under 70 to down Jesper Parnevik by four shots. Frost lost to Per-Ulrik Johansson by three shots. Earlier in the day Haeggman equalled the lowest score for nine holes in professional golf, carding 27 on the front nine of the Old Course to help down defending champions US. South Africa beat New Zealand 2-1 in their semifinal, with Goosen and Frost winning their matches.

1997 — Adam Bacher scores 96 for the Proteas in the weather-hit drawn second Test against Pakistan in Sheikhupura. The first match of the three-Test series had also ended in a draw.

2001 — Opener Boeta Dippenaar scores 81 as the Proteas, on 282/4, beat India by 46 runs in East London in a triangular tournament ODI.

2003 — Spinner Paul Adams takes seven wickets as the Proteas dismiss Pakistan for 401 in the first Test in Lahore.

2011 — Australia beat the Proteas by 93 runs in a rain-hit ODI at Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Ricky Ponting top-scored with 63 as the visitors made 183/4 in 29 overs. Faf du Plessis was the best of South Africa’s batsmen, making 27 for the hosts who were bowled out for 129 in 22 overs.

2014 — Mignon du Preez’s 34 is the highest contribution as the South African women are limited to 139/7 before losing the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo by four wickets.

2016 — Mignon du Preez (62) and Sune Luus (27) are the only batters to make double figures as the South African women are bowled out by New Zealand for 113 to lose the fifth ODI in Paarl by 95 runs, dropping to 1-4 in the seven-match series.

2025 — Cape Town-based Kira Bester retains her women’s crown at the ICF canoe ocean racing world championships in Durban, completing the northerly course to Westbrook in 2hr 22min 46sec, 23 seconds ahead of 2019 world champion Danielle Richards of New Zealand.