Anzaret Strauss lit up the track with a fearless finish to secure her first national crown on the second day of the ASA age-group track and field championships at Germiston Stadium on March 27.

The former Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) junior produced a stunning late surge to win the U16 girls’ 400m, clawing her way back from behind to snatch gold in dramatic fashion.

Drawn in lane seven, Strauss attacked the stagger with intent but found herself trailing down the back straight. Sitting in third as the field rounded the final bend, she unleashed a powerful kick, sweeping past Linmari Kirkpatrick and Li-May Swanepoel of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) on the inside to stop the clock at a personal best 54.96.

The Kempton Park athlete finished 1.03 seconds clear of pre-race favourite Kirkpatrick, who settled for second in 55.99, while Swanepoel completed the podium in 56.34.

“It was a little bit fast on the back straight. I was trying to keep up, but I told myself to hold on. When I reached the 120m mark, I gave it everything I had,” Strauss said.

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Her triumph marks a remarkable turnaround after a quad injury disrupted her campaign last season. Back with renewed determination, Strauss had already hinted at her form in the heats, where her strong finishing speed signalled her intent to fight for the title.

She credited her electrifying final 100m to the work put in under the guidance of her coaches at Helpmekaar Kollege in Johannesburg.

“It’s all from my training and listening to my coaches. I’m very proud of myself for recovering from a quad injury last year and coming here and leaving with a victory.”

Reflecting on her progress, Strauss revealed she had set her sights on breaking the 55-second barrier, a goal she not only achieved but surpassed when it mattered most.

“Last year, I was running around 56 and 57 seconds. This season, I wanted to go sub-55. Last night I wrote down that I’m going to run 54. If you believe in yourself, you can make it happen.”

With a national title and a personal best to her name, Strauss will now take a well-earned break before shifting her focus to the upcoming hockey season.

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