Track and field athlete impresses in Italy

Boksburg sprinter Johann Chambers (15) helped Gauteng to a silver medal in the Swedish Relay 1 000m event during the 7th Soncini Tricolor Games in Italy last month.

Chambers ran the third leg (300m) in this event, which includes four athletes running different distances – 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m for a total of 1 000m.

Individually, the Hoërskool Oosterlig Grade 10 learner achieved great success on the track, winning his heats in the 100m and 200m.

He clocked 12:38 to win his 100m heat while he won the 200m heat in a time of 23:99.

Although he wasn’t among the winners, he was in the top 10 on the overall log, fifth in the 100m and sixth in the 200m.

“Johann represented his school with great pride. I believe he has a great future ahead of him if he pursues a career in athletics,” said his coach Robert Rugg.

The Brakpan Athletics Club member was part of 132 athletes selected by the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation to represent the province at these games.

He was selected in this squad following his stellar performances for the Ekurhuleni team that won the OR Tambo/Soncini Social Cohesion Games at Germiston Stadium last year.

These games were established as a result of the close ties between Gauteng and the government of Reggio Emilia after the former mayor of the Italian town, Giuseppe Soncini, provided the late ANC President OR Tambo and many other freedom fighters with refuge in the 1970s.

“Gauteng’s presence at the games is a result of a memorandum of understanding between the province and the Reggio Emilia region to elevate economic, social and technological cooperation, including the use of sport to share knowledge and best practices,” said Gauteng SREC spokesperson Nomazwe Ntlokwana.

This was the second time the province took part in this quadrennial event.

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