Cape Town - Cape Town's trailblazing sporting sensation, Malikah Hamza, continues to break barriers as she secures a spot on South Africa's National Hockey team for the upcoming World Championships.
At just 20 years old, the Kensington resident has already made history in German hockey and scored nearly 2 000 career goals as she’s ready to represent the country on the global stage.
Hamza’s passion for sports started early, driven by a natural enthusiasm for competition and teamwork.
She excelled in various sports such as soccer, golf, cricket, swimming, and water polo before falling in love with hockey at the age of 9, fully committing to it after finishing high school.
“I thought of playing a team sport where cricket and hockey came, but I knew I had to make a decision. Then I chose hockey and I have stuck so far with it,” she said.
To date, she has netted an impressive 1 889 career, goals, with 15 of those coming on the international stage.
In 2023, Hamza made history as the youngest South African female to compete for the women's first team of Harvestehuder Hockey Club in Germany.
“It is very different because of the people and culture, but it was an incredible thing to play in another country and being exposed to the style and play of Hockey,” Hamza said.
Her remarkable scoring ability has earned her the nickname Malikah ‘Messi’ Hamza within the hockey fraternity.
This comes ahead of the launch of her book titled Malikah The Girl Who Loves Sport, a narrative penned by her father, Boebie Hamza, and written by Darryl Earl David.
The launch is set to take place on November 13, 2024, at the V&A Waterfront.
The book is part of a series inspired by true events from her athletic journey.
“There are a lot of benefits with this book, being that it is a sports book and very relatable.
“I think it is quite nice that it is there for the community to inspire the next generation,” Hamza said.
Boebie said he recognised his daughter’s potential at a young age.
“I spotted her talent when she was two years old. I knew that she would make it, but it would be hard work to get there. I coached and mentored her in most of her codes,” he said.
He acknowledged that while his daughter has accomplished incredible feats, the path has not always been smooth.
“Because she has played so many sports as a young child, she had to make a decision,” he said.
Now, Hamza is ready to join a squad of 12 for the SPAR SA Indoor Hockey Women’s Team, set to compete in the 2025 FIH Indoor World Cup in Croatia this February.
She added: “It is of course an honour to be playing for SA, let alone a world cup. These games are always very crucial for us, and being one of the younger players has been truly something that I have been grateful for. I just want to make SA proud.”
Hamza said women's sports has gained traction in the country.
She has also actively participated in community projects such as the Goals4Foundation and has taken on coaching responsibilities at the Vygieskraal Hockey Development.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za