Blignaut sponsored by Digica

International IT outsourcing company Digica has extended their ventures to the international sporting arena by signing as principle sponsor to South African cyclist Morné Blignaut. The agreement will see Blignaut joining Digica's Cape Town staff as of May 2005, which in turn will see the company sponsoring the 22-year-old in both local as well as international events.

In 2004 Blignaut took part in five international events, which included the World Cup in Moscow, the 28th Grosser Weihnachtspreis in Dortmund and the 28th Grand Prix in Hannover, finishing second in the Keirin and seventh in Germany respectively. The "Arnold Schwarzenegger of SA Track Cycling" holds the SA Junior Record for the 200m Flying Sprint, which he set in 2001 with a time of 10.84 seconds, while his time set in Atlanta, which saw him breaking Ken Carpenter's 12-year-old 200m Flying Sprint record, still remains to be beaten. Blignaut will also compete at the South African National Championships from 28-30 April 2005.

Blignaut was also suspended for six weeks after an incident between him and officials at the Tri-Nations meet in Bellville last month, where he became aggressive after a race jury decision didn't go his way. He was fined the Swiss franc equivalent of R2,000, is required to undergo a course with a sports psychologist on anger management, and will have to tender a written public apology for his behaviour at the Tri-Nations.