Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) teenagers Chelsea van Dyk and Siyanda Madlabane produced commanding performances to claim line honours at the fourth CGA Cross Country League meeting at Marivate Park in Daveyton on June 20.

Both athletes had to fend off determined challengers before pulling away to victory in their respective U15 races.

Van Dyk dominated the girls’ 4km event, clocking a blistering 14:51 over the two-lap course. She crossed the line 25 seconds ahead of Ofentse Leleka.

Leleka stayed with the BNAC athlete in the opening stages, but by the end of the first kilometre, she began to lose ground. Van Dyk steadily increased her advantage, opening a gap of more than 100m before cruising to an unchallenged victory.

Madlabane faced a sterner test in the U15 boys’ race. Katlehong AC’s Menzi Ncapai and Adrian Coetzee of Helpmekaar Kollege set a fierce early pace, sprinting to the front from the gun with Madlabane tucked into third.

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The trio remained locked together for much of the race before Madlabane made his move deep into the second lap. Roared on by the home crowd, he surged clear to secure victory in 13:54. Ncapai finished four seconds behind, while Coetzee completed the podium a further nine seconds adrift.

BNAC also celebrated success through Bokamoso Nonyane, who won the U12 boys’ 3km race in 10:43.

After a closely fought opening lap with Jeppe Quondam’s Anro Gouws, Nonyane launched a decisive attack and steadily stretched his lead before crossing the line 19 seconds clear.

Other notable performances included Baxter Towers, who finished fourth in the U10 boys’ 2km in 08:18, and Brody Brits, who placed ninth in the U8 boys’ 1km in 04:47. Mpumelelo Mokoena claimed victory in the senior men’s 8km race in 27:14.

Samukelo Msibi was third overall in the combined U16/U17 boys’ 6km race but first among the U16 athletes, winning his category in 21:11. Sipho Skwatsha placed sixth overall and third in the U17 division in 21:35.

In the girls’ races, Nolwazi Magwaza continued her excellent form by winning the U10 2km in 08:05, while Dominique Broughton finished third in 08:21. Quinn Schonken won the U9 2km in 08:21, with Ava Kay Brits placing fourth.

Attention now shifts to the fifth league meeting in Kwa-Thema on July 4.

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