Durban teacher earns bronze medal as Team SA finish third in International Angling Tournament

Team South Africa from left: Douglas Dustan, Frank de Oliviera (captain), Abed Khan and Justin Paynter with South African Sport Anglers & Casting Confederation president, Andries Maree after finishing third during the Orascom Development International Gamefish Tournament in El Gouna, Egypt. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

Published Feb 23, 2023

Durban teacher and team South Africa have earned bronze during an international angling competition in Egypt.

The Orascom Development International Gamefish Tournament was held in El Gouna from February 14 to 18.

Team South Africa competed against 13 teams and finished third.

Crawford International North Coast deputy principal and Grade 7 maths teacher Justin Paynter said he appreciated the support he received from his school.

Team South Africa with their third place prize at the Orascom Development International Gamefish Tournament in El Gouna, Egypt. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

“The support shown from Crawford International North Coast family has been unbelievable and I am truly blessed to be part of such an amazing organisation – ADvTECH. We documented the tour with our Crawford International North Coast Rhino, which the students followed on our social media platforms,” he said.

Paynter is also a Natal Deep Sea Angling Association selector and the South African Deep Sea Angling Association public relations officer.

He said his fishing journey started with his father at the age of 5.

Crawford International North Coast Deputy Principal and Grade 7 maths teacher Justin Paynter with a Yellowfin Tuna fish – one of the targeted species that eluded the South African team during the Orascom Development International Gamefish Tournament in El Gouna Egypt. Paynter was part of the South African team that finished third. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

“At the age of 12, my dad sold his boat. When I met my wife, her dad had a catamaran and he did a trip from Richards Bay to Durban and managed to land a king mackerel of 35kg. So I saved up, bought my own and haven’t looked back since,” Paynter said, adding that John Boswarva got him into competitive fishing.

“The end goal has always been to represent my country. Fishing however is a very humbling sport and it has extreme highs and extreme lows. So there have been moments when I thought I wouldn’t reach the green and gold,” he said.

“I am happy with coming third and being able to experience a different style of fishing. We lived aboard the boat for the entire competition, which meant we were fishing around the clock, using different methods to catch the fish,” Paynter said.

Final results of the Orascom Development International Gamefish Tournament Egypt. Team SA finished third out of 14 teams. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

He said the fishing season had just started and there were competitions lined up, including the traditional inter-club, national tournaments and the Durban Ski Boat Club festival, which is the largest ski boat competition in South Africa.

Durban businessman and resident Abed Khan, 60, who was also part of team South Africa, said: “The tournament was one of a kind. It was the first time they held a multifacet tournament where you fish day and night for three days and two nights,” he said.

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