Northerns athletes shine in first league meeting

Tyla Fourie and Denè Geldenhuys were the stand-out performers for Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) at the first CGA sub-youth track and field meeting at Germiston Stadium on September 20.

While it was a strong season opener for most BNAC youngsters, Fourie and Geldenhuys shone with scintillating performances across middle-distance, sprint, and field events.

Fourie powered to victory in the girls’ U13 200m hurdles, finishing in a dominant 31.90 seconds, 1.25 seconds faster than second-placed Nate Vorster of Nories. The 13-year-old then clocked 2:34.68 for fourth place in the third heat of the 800m, ending eighth overall on the log.

Geldenhuys, meanwhile, reached the podium in the U13 girls’ 100m dash, finishing third overall in 13.10 seconds after winning her heat. She also threw 27.47m in the javelin to claim second place, just 1.05m behind winner Lexi Marx, who threw 28.52m. Geldenhuys and Marx were the only athletes to surpass 20m in the competition.

Other notable BNAC performances included Bontle Makgalemele, last year’s U7 80m ASA Sub-youth national champion, who opened her U9 campaign with 9.79 seconds in the 60m and 12.41 seconds in the 80m.

Chloe Zillen impressed with 34.73 seconds in the U13 girls’ 200m hurdles and a 4.31m long jump, while teammate Kufuma Mhlongo clocked 42.61 seconds in the hurdles.

Boys

Middle-distance prospect Zandrèh van der Merwe, who finished sixth in the boys’ U13 4km at the ASA cross-country championships on September 6 (13:55), continued his strong form with third place in the 800m in 2:18.30.

Sprinters Aaron Ani and Baxter Towers ran 9.16 and 9.82 seconds, respectively, in the boys’ U9 80m dash, while Luhlelo Mahungela finished sixth in the U11 80m (10.88) and ninth in the 100m (13.74).

The athletes will have another opportunity to compete in the second league meeting on November 4 at Germiston, aiming to qualify for the nationals scheduled for December 5 and 6 in Potchefstroom.

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