Zandrèh van der Merwe’s performance at the ASA cross-country championships in Pretoria gave him valuable proof that he can compete against the country’s best in his age group.

Van der Merwe delivered an impressive performance in the U14 boys’ 4km race, clocking 13:30.94 to finish seventh and help CGA secure team silver against a strong national field, after first claiming victory in the same age group at the CGA Championships.

The CGA triumph gave the Benoni athlete a significant confidence boost ahead of nationals, but how he secured the win proved equally valuable.

“I had a trip right at the start and then another fall during the race, so I had to fight my way back into it,” Van der Merwe said.

“Finishing third overall and winning my age group showed me that even when things don’t go according to plan, I can keep going and still put myself in a good position.”

That resilience proved important at the undulating Curro Hazeldean course, where Van der Merwe faced a tougher course and a deeper field.

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Rather than being drawn into an overly aggressive start, he stuck to his race plan of conserving energy before gradually working his way towards the front.

“I realised I was properly in contention when I found myself running with the leading pack at the start of the second lap,” he said.

“From there, I just focused on staying with them for as long as I could and giving myself the best chance of finishing as high as possible.”

For the former Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) youngster, the difference between the two championships was not simply the quality of opposition, but the demands of racing at national level.

The lessons from his difficult CGA race helped him remain composed when the pressure increased in Pretoria.

He is therefore satisfied with seventh, believing he gave everything he had on the day.

“I’m proud of the result because I was racing against the best athletes in the country. It gives me something to build on for the future.”

With cross-country providing a strong foundation, Van der Merwe now turns his attention to track season, targeting personal bests while continuing to develop the mental side of his racing.

“I want to work on knowing when to push, when to be patient and how to respond when a race doesn’t go exactly as planned,” he said.

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