Siyanda Madlabane seems to be peaking at the right time after delivering a sublime performance to win the U14 boys’ 4km at the sixth CGA Cross Country league meeting in Brakpan on July 26.
However, his coach, Nkanyiso Mthembu, urged him to keep his feet on the ground.
While the win was a confidence booster after a challenging season, the real test, he was reminded, lies ahead at the upcoming provincial championships on August 16 in Germiston.
“This victory comes at the right time. But he shouldn’t read too much into it because he will be challenged at the champs,” said Mthembu.
After a testing season when Katlehong AC’s Menzi Ncapai, Thabang Lebe of Kopano AC and Atlehang Mokhobo from Warriors of the West (WOW) threatened to dethrone him, Madlabane dominated them with probably his best race of the season.
Wedged tightly between his rivals at the start, the Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) runner stood poised, muscles tense and eyes locked ahead, ready to surge when the gun fired.
After the gun, Thembisa AC’s Chumile Tshangela shot to the front, with Madlabane and Kopano’s Thanduxolo Dlamini slightly behind. However, the wheels came off for Tshangela going into the second lap as Dlamini and Madlabane dropped him to make it a two-horse race.
But Madlabane kicked into gear on the backend of the race, entering the finishing straight with no challenger in sight to ultimately cross the line in 13:22 – his second fastest time of the season.
Dlamini followed seven seconds later, with the BNAC’s Samukelo Msibi third in 13:47.
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Other results
Northerns was represented by over 30 athletes, with notable podium and top 10 performances from the likes of Chelsea van Dyk and Tumishang Seroko.
Girls
Van Dyk won the U14 4km in 14:49, with an ailing Tamica Lloyd fighting flu to finish the race fifth in 17:15. Seroko was first in the U12 3km race in 10:24. Kayla Botha clocked 10:43 for fourth, and Mila Rossouw was ninth in 11:29.
Youngsters Ava Brits (third), Bontle Makgalemele (fourth), Zahra-Lee Nelson (fifth) and Hailey Fourie (sixth) shone in the U8 1km race, while Jade Doran and Nolwazi Nomfundo won the U15 4km and U9 2km events, respectively.
Boys
Zandrèh van der Merwe put on an exhibition in the U13 4km race, going toe-to-toe with the dominant Indiphile Myeki. He finished the race third in 13:40, and teammate Rhys Connor Sawyer was fifth in 14:36.
Bokamoso Nonyane was fifth in his race, while Oithekgile Tjege and Baxter Towers were third and fifth in the U8 1km. Joshua Helena, Masungulo Tlaka, Anele Skwatsha and Mheho Mhlongo also finished their races in the top five.
“Well done to all the BNAC athletes in my group and coach Michael van Aswegen’s group. They worked hard today. We’ll now start preparing for the provincials on August 16,” added Mthembu.
The CGA cross-country champs will be held at the Germiston Soccer Club.
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