“I BELIEVE WOMEN CAN DO IT ALL” Capetonian Genevieve Lentz is making history as the first woman from Africa to referee table tennis at the Olympic Games By Melissa Siegelaar | Photography: Je’nine May
G
enevieve Lentz was born in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town. Now, she’s gracing the international stage as the first woman from the African continent to referee table tennis at the 2020 Olympic Games since the inception of the Olympics in 1896. “I believe women can do it all,” says Lentz, who is officiating matches at the Olympics being held in Tokyo, Japan. Lentz was raised in a strong matriarchal family. From early on, they recognised that Lentz and her siblings had the academic potential to further their education. Her grandmother nurtured their academic abilities by prioritising homework and studying after school hours. When she matriculated and her family could not afford to pay for her university studies, Lentz secured a job as a receptionist. Her grandmother approached the Moravian Church Board in Bonteheuwel, of which she was a member, for help with Lentz’s registration fees at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). They agreed and Lentz enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Language and Communication Studies. She completed that degree and a BA Honours in English at UWC. Next, she attained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education as well as a BTech Degree in Public Relations from the University of South Africa
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