Louis Oosthuizen, an Afrikaans-speaking South African farmer’s son won the British Open golf tournament on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, keeping South African success at the top of the news.  

Oosthuizen and Zack Rasego, who works as his caddie, often discuss strategy in Afrikaans on the green, and both spoke openly about their happiness at the win on Madiba’s birthday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hq-XbEcsYSuvFRwpATxkT7DSCn8gD9H1VGB00

http://tinyurl.com/2aabk97

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128603933

and here in Massachusetts, the Soccer Grannies were a sensation!

http://tinyurl.com/25ct44d

“Vakhegula Vakhegula,” or Grannies Grannies, is a  soccer league for women 49 – 84 years old, based in Limpopo, South Africa. 

Thanks to HerbaLife, the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, the Massachusetts Adult Soccer Association, Lexpressa and many generous individuals and organizations, the Grannies are here in Massachusetts for the Veterans Cup 2010 in Lawrence, July 13 – 18 2010. 

For video of their arrival at Logan Airport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-472342?ref=feeds%2Flatest

For info about the 2010 Veterans Cup: http://www.veteranscup.us

The Vakhegula Vakhegula Game Schedule in Lawrence, MA:

Thursday, July 15th  – 10:00 am   vs. the Bay State Breakers                                                                               Six-O Massachusetts

Friday, July 16th       - 8:00 am      vs. San Diego Celtics 60 -                                                                             California South 

Saturday, July 17th    – 11:00 am vs. HKP550 – Hawaii 

FIFA President gives South Africa top marks for a beautifully organized tournament, Africa’s first World Cup!

In the South African papers, The Independent and The Sunday Times:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=nw20100712191408525C480294

Overseas fans fall in love with South Africa’s warm welcome:

http://www.timeslive.co.za/entertainment/article545097.ece/Overseas-fans-praise-friendly-SA

The UK’s Guardian calls South Africa’s Rainbow Nation ‘the real winner:’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/11/editorial-south-africa-world-cup

and another Guardian piece sums up the key elements of South African success, reminding readers how many proved-wrong news outlets predicted failure:  “Organisers have spoken at length about the “nation building” potential of the World Cup, and this was proved to be far more than empty rhetoric as South Africans came together in a national sense of near-hysteria.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jul/12/south-africa-world-cup-2010

Next, the Olympics! 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/other/article546168.ece/SA-Olympic-bid-in-the-pipeline

Spain celebrates!  How the result of the FIFA South Africa 2010 World Cup Finals is being covered:

http://www.elpais.com/global/

http://tinyurl.com/2bl24yp

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/2010-world-cup/

Today’s NYT arts & design pages features Jessica Hilltout’s photo essays on Africa’s love of soccer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/arts/design/08photos.html?_r=1

And elsewhere in the news, Paul the Psychic Octopus garners worldwide attention for his undefeated streak of World Cup predictions. 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128378592