South African Society of Biomechanics (SASB) Hosts 4th Conference
The South African Society of Biomechanics (SASB), ISB's only affiliated society in Africa, hosted its 4th biennial conference on 4-5 September 2025 at the University of Johannesburg. The theme, "Beyond Frontiers: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Practice," set the tone for a program that combined cutting-edge research with practical application.
Day one featured 18 presentations, including seven student finalists for the SASB Young Investigator Award. The winners were:
- 1st Prize: Jordan Leondiris (University of Cape Town) - Throwing performance and kinematic analysis of overhead throwing in male elite varsity cricketers
- 2nd Prize: Chris-Mari Schreuder (Stellenbosch University) - Evaluating 2D pose estimation models for biomechanical analysis using a high-fidelity dataset
- 3rd Prize: Licinda Pienaar (University of Pretoria) - Force plate analysis of single-leg drop jump variables and their association with sprint speed and change of direction in cricketers
Day two focused on hands-on workshops, including AI & machine learning applications for biomechanics (Oloff Bergh and Chris-Mari Schreuder, Stellenbosch University) and a practical session on low-cost technology implementation led by Assoc. Prof. Mark Kramer (North-West University).
A major highlight was the Keynote lecture by Dr. Nic Tam (Lead Scientist, On AG; ISB-sponsored keynote), who shared insights on how biomechanics and modelling inform innovations in shoe design, midsole geometry, and energy-return systems. Dr. Tam also spoke about his journey from academia to industry, emphasizing perseverance, passion-driven research, and collaboration as a driver of innovation.
The conference also marked the launch of SASB's student group, with Petra Apollis (Stellenbosch University) appointed as the student representative.
SASB acknowledges the generous support of its sponsors who are collaborating with SASB on a 12-month program to advance biomechanics education in South Africa and beyond. SASB continues to actively build connections with other African universities to grow the biomechanics community across the continent.
Learn more: https://biomechsa.org/events/
Follow us on Insta: sasb_insta
Yumna Albertus
ISB Affiliated Societies Officer
