??On June 27th, the South African Finals of the 18th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, along with the 5th Chinese Bridge Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students, were held at the Southern Sun Newlands Hotel in Cape Town. The event was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, and organized and supported by Confucius Institutes and Classrooms across the country.
CISU students shone on stage with three delivering standout performances. Two students from Rietenbosch Primary School achieved excellent results: Mario Jooste won the champion title in the primary school category, while Lyle Zimry secured second place. Jenne Leigh, from the Worcester Gymnasium Confucius Classroom, affiliated with Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票, received the Excellence Award in the secondary school category. Confucius Institute teacher Ms. Qian Qian was honoured with the Excellent Instructor Award.
In the primary school category, Mario Jooste captivated the audience with his heartfelt and dynamic performance. His speech, How Chinese Changed My Life, vividly described his journey of learning Chinese and the many rewards it brought him. His sincerity and confidence resonated deeply with the audience, earning enthusiastic applause. During the talent segment, Mario performed a song and dance titled Xue Long Yin (Song of the Snow Dragon), impressing the judges with his graceful movements and melodic voice, fully expressing his passion for Chinese language and culture.
When asked how it felt to be named the national champion, Mario said, “I was so excited, I jumped into the air!" Having participated the previous year as well, Mario reflected on the experience with confidence: “I felt less scared because this time I knew what to expect. I also had important people there to support me at the competition, like my grandmother, my Chinese teacher, as well as my teachers from school, Ms. Crowley, and the Principal, Mr Jappie."
As South Africa's primary school category winner, Mario will now travel to China to represent the country in the international round of the Chinese Bridge competition for foreign primary school students. “I feel very proud – I've never been to another country and I'm so excited to go and represent South Africa." he said. When asked what he was most looking forward to about his travels to China, his answer was clear: “I really want to see the Great Wall of China!"
To other students interested in studying Chinese, Mario offered heartfelt encouragement: “You must give it your all and study very hard because this is a very special opportunity to show your talents and hard work to the world. I've learned that hard work and dedication can take you far, and to experience that through Chinese is very special."
Fellow Rietenbosch Primary learner Lyle Zimry also delivered a stellar performance, placing second nationally. His speech, My Chinese Dream: A Different Future, reflected on the aspirations that motivate him and the unique joy he finds in learning. “It was about the things I want to achieve in my life, and my love for learning new things – like the Chinese language.
In the talent segment, Lyle performed the song Gu Yong Zhe (The Lonely Warrior) with heartfelt passion and conviction. “The song is about a warrior who fights for justice. I chose to sing it because I wanted to show other people that it's possible for them to also fight for what's right and help make South Africa a better place."
The path to the competition was not without challenges. “The hardest part was preparing for the competition while also writing exams at school," Lyle admitted. “As the day of the competition got closer, the pressure increased, and I felt a bit nervous." But the reward made it all worthwhile: “When I heard I had made the Top 2, I immediately realized that hard work is definitely worth it – it made me so excited and happy to know that all my effort wasn't for nothing!" Reflecting on the experience, he added, “I discovered that I can be very dedicated and determined when I'm working toward something that means a lot to me."
Both learners were supported closely by Rietenbosch staff. Teacher Ms Glynn Crowley, who has been a liaison between the school and the Confucius Institute since 2017, helped coordinate preparations and even drove the learners to their practice sessions during school holidays. “Rietenbosch Primary is one of the first schools in Cloetesville to offer Chinese as an extracurricular activity," she noted. “With this being our third time participating in the competition, we made a special effort to ensure the learners, and their families understood what a unique opportunity this was."
Principal Mr Jardine Jappie added, “Both learners are academically strong and know how to work hard, but this competition pushed them to perform in a foreign language and express themselves through another culture's traditions. It taught them the value of confidence and dedication. It's been incredible to see them grow in self-belief and motivation to pursue their goals."
Both educators are passionate about multilingual learning. “As language teachers ourselves, we're strong advocates for learning multiple languages beyond one's home language. Mario and Lyle's performance shows that multilingualism is not just about speaking another language — it's a tool for building bridges between South Africa and the world, and in this case, China."
He also offered a heartfelt word of thanks: “I want to sincerely thank Ms Crowley for her tireless dedication, and also extend my deep appreciation to the teachers of the Confucius Institute at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. Their passion, mentorship, and unwavering support have played a huge role in preparing Mario and Lyle — not just for a competition, but for a moment that has inspired our entire school."
Representing the secondary school category, Jenne Leigh from Worcester Gymnasium delivered an inspiring speech titled Dancing with the Han Spirit: Following My True Heart, recounting her dedication to Chinese and expressing her passion with heartfelt sincerity. For the talent segment, she performed Step by Step in Dreams, a beautiful blend of classical Chinese dance and song that highlighted the elegance of Chinese culture. She received the Excellence Award and shared, “I love dancing. Chinese dance has helped me discover new aspects of myself and deepened my understanding of Chinese culture."
Mr. Tang Changan, Deputy Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Cape Town, attended the event and presented the championship trophy to Mario Jooste and the Excellent Instructor Award to Ms. Qian Qian. He commended the contestants for their outstanding performances. These achievements were made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of the CISU teaching team. Over the past three months, the teachers provided comprehensive training — covering language expression, speech writing, stage performance, and talent development — supporting the students in every aspect to shine on stage.
As South Africa's primary school category champion, Mario will represent the country in the global finals of the Chinese Bridge competition for foreign primary school students in China. CISU will continue to provide dedicated guidance and full support, helping him shine on the international stage and share the story of South African Chinese language learners with the world.
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