​Raising the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and South African flags high in Birmingham, England, Alexa Pienaar emerged second in a tough competition at the 2018 FISU World University Squash Championships. Pienaar and UJ squash coach Mike Bester (SA team coach) were chosen to be part of the squash squad that is representing South Africa in the championships.

The 24-years-old Pienaar represented South Africa in the same tournament in 2016, in Malaysia, and won the coveted 2017 UJ Sportswoman of the Year and Student Athlete (Sport and Academic results). She is enrolled for a B-Tech in Fina Art at the University.

The FISU World University Squash Championships are held every 2 years. Alexa reached the final of the ladies individual competition. She beat the number 1 seed en route to the final. She lost to Great Britain’s Lilly Rhlan Taylor in the final.

Team South Africa will also be competing in the team competition which ends on Wednesday, 12 September 2018.