WATCH: Van Dyk completes distance double at nationals
She won the U16 girls' 1 500m and 3 000m titles at the ASA U16, U18, U20 and U23 track and field championships.
It has been some month for Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) junior runner Chelsea van Dyk.
After winning three provincial titles during the CGA champs on March 14 and 15, she added two more national titles to her collection with incredible victories in the U16 girls’ 1 500m and 3 000m races at the ASA age-group and multi-event championships in Cape Town, held from March 27 to 29.
She’s now won six national titles in the last six months following victories at the schools’ and clubs’ cross-country champs, as well as the 800m and 1 500 golds at the ASA sub-youth champs in December.
Van Dyk went into the nationals as one of the runners to watch. Despite challengers coming from all sides, she was relentless and delivered when it mattered.
It was in the three-and-a-half lap 1 500m race on March 28 where the youngster really showed her class. After struggling in heats the day before, clocking 04:47.30 for seventh in her heat, it wasn’t the procession many had anticipated in the final.
• Video: SuperSport Schools
And any suggestion the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) superstar might potentially be feeling Thursday’s heats in her legs in the final, was not apparent from the start.
Despite clearly being one of the marked athletes in the race, she looked comfortable and quickly ran to the front to take control. They reached 300m in 49 seconds and afterwards Van Dyk began to stretch the chasing pack.
All credit to Liesa Kruger, Xante Harris, Anke Stander and Jesse Nel for making it difficult for Van Dyk. They tried at various points to unsettle 13-year old but ultimately failed.
They took the bell in 03:14 with Van Dyk slightly ahead while Harris trailed behind. Boland’s Stander realised that Van Dyk was running away with it and decided to launch her attack on the backstraight. She went past Harris and chased down Van Dyk.
Also Read: Van Dyk wins three titles at CGA champs
Undeterred, Van Dyk saved her final attack for the final bend and despite her closest challenger, Stander, making it uncomfortable on the finishing straight, she won with a thrilling sprint to take the tape in a PB 04:22.39, smashing her previous mark of 04:33.63 from the CGA champs.
While it’s rare to see an athlete win a race from the gun to the tape, it was Van Dyk’s strategy from the onset to lead early and dictate the pace.
“I felt strong throughout the race and was waiting for fatigue to set in. When they came up onto my shoulder, I was able to respond and outkick them,” she said.
Stander settled for the silver after crossing the line 0.59 seconds after Van Dyk and Western Province Athletics’ (WPA) Nel rounded up the podium in 04:25.78.
Van Dyk completed the distance double by winning the 3 000m title the following day. She controlled the pace and held off her challengers to win in 09:41.22. Her CGA teammate, Tanya Pelser, grabbed the silver in 09:52.42. Anke Stander of Boland completed the top three 2.81 seconds after Pelser.
Van Dyk’s Coach, Michael van Aswegen said this performance showed they are moving in the right direction.
“As always, the focus is on progression and as long as we are improving, we are moving in the right direction for Chelsea’s long-term goals,” said Van Aswegen.
Also Read: Van Dyk ends year with double gold at nationals
