SPORT: Talented Fadia pushes boundaries to success

Fadia Abels trains with the SA mixed tag rugby team participating in the World Cup. PHOTO: Yaseen Gaffar

Sheer determination coupled with a strong will to perform proved the perfect combination for 31-year-old Fadia Abels from Strand, who overcame a cruciate ligament rupture to return to selection for the South African mixed tag rugby team taking part in the World Cup will be later this year.

Speak with District Mail & Helderberg Gazette From the touchline at Charles Morkel Stadium in Strand, where local tag players had gathered for the first practice session ahead of the 2023 Tag World Cup in Limerick, Ireland in August, she said, although she has not yet fully recovered from the injury, she feels fit and strong, and has taken the mind-over-matter stance in her preparations.

“I’m a very disciplined person and when I commit myself to something I just give it my all. That was a goal and I’m happy to have been selected for the national team. For us, this isn’t just a World Cup, it’s about making history as the first mixed team from South Africa.”

Abels is no stranger to sports, growing up playing netball and soccer during her years at Strand Muslim Primary and Gordon High School.

“I loved touch rugby so I really started to focus all my energy and time on the sport after school. I originally played for fun and founded a team, the Maori Kings, in 2016. Soon after, we started winning a lot of open division tournaments.

“We decided to take it a step further and moved into the Pro division, which worked out well. I was also the first woman to play in touch rugby’s pro division and I was voted player of the tournament in 2019, which was an achievement in itself.”

As one of the few women to play touchies, she has never felt intimidated by the support of her peers and the beach community alone.

“My original plan was to get the guys off the streets and not go into the pro division. it just happened.”

Abels is also a competitive swimmer and today attends championship galas, works as a touch rugby and swimming coach and is also a personal trainer.

So what keeps them engaged, motivated and focused?

“I set myself goals that drive me. It has a lot to do with my upbringing as I’m the youngest sister in my family and I always wanted to be the fastest and the strongest,” she said. “Even during the tough lockdown of 2020 and 2021, I was disciplined and trained at home every day. I wanted to stay consistent and avoid sacrificing performance. I learned that if you want to stay fit, you have to make sacrifices.”

Abels started playing tag rugby after being invited to play in a league in Stellenbosch and a while later he was asked to play professionally.

“I initially had an injury in 2021 and was out for a while. Then I got injured again in the same spot while training for the World Cup in Ireland,” she said, praising those who helped her recovery.

“It was almost career-destroying and I had to have surgery and spend time on biokinetics and physical therapy – both of which have done wonders to help me get back into action,” she said.

“My goal was to be fit by January 21st to take part in the trials and everything worked out. I’m still recovering and in rehab mode, but I remain focused on the ultimate goal of winning a medal at the World Championships. As a team we bonded well; This is a powerful group of individuals hoping for what we can achieve together.”

Looking ahead, Abels said she will never give up swimming or rugby until forced to do so.

“These two sports have offered me so much in life and I can’t imagine doing anything else in the short term,” she says. “My advice to all athletes is to set goals and strive to achieve them. Compete against boys and girls if you have to and always do your best.”