Local runner clinches double gold at nationals
Junior elite set their sights on SA champs in Cape Town.
Viwe Jingqi, the national senior 100m champion, stole the show in Cape Town, clinching the U23 women’s 200m sprint title in 23.35 seconds.
This victory came hot on the heels of her earlier win in the 100m sprint, earning her a second gold medal at the ASA Track and Field Championships held at Green Point Stadium.
The following divisions, U16, U18, U20 and U23 athletes competed for podium positions throughout the days between March 27 – 29.
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This past weekend, Cape Town played host to South Africa’s most gifted young track and field athletes, who seized the chance to shine on the big stage.
The competitions showcased the nation’s top rising stars, boasting an impressive lineup of world-class sprinters and hurdlers competing in various events.
The U23 men’s division promised excitement with athletes like world junior 400m champion Udeme Okon and Olympic silver medallist Lythe Pillay. Meanwhile, national senior 100m champion Viwe Jingqi delivered a stellar performance in the U23 women’s sprints and 100m sprint victories.
This win builds on her impressive 11.32 seconds triumph at the ASA Grand Prix 2 meeting on March 19.
In the U20 category, Bayanda Walaza, the reigning SA junior 100m and 200m record holder, was the top favourite in the men’s sprints. However, he faced stiff competition from Karabo Letebele, who had recently triumphed in the men’s 100m event at the ASA Grand Prix meeting in Tshwane. As the U20 champion in both the 100m and 200m events, as well as an Olympic Games 4x100m silver medalist, Walaza’s impressive credentials made him the one to beat.
Seventeen-year-old sensation Tumi Ramokgopa continued to make waves, building on her recent national record in the U20 women’s 100m hurdles.
She delivered a dominant performance, claiming the gold medal with a time of 13.48 seconds. Lana Oberholzer secured silver with a time of 13.99 seconds, while Diné le Roux took bronze with a time of 14.00 seconds.
Aiden Smith was the favourite in the men’s shot put after winning the first leg of the ASA Grand Prix Series in Tshwane two weeks ago and so is Njabulo Mbatha in the 400m men who was decorated with a bronze medal in the 4x400m at the World U20s in 2024.
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Mbatha showed his readiness when the 18-year-old shocked Africa record holder and defending champion Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya in the Tshwane Grand Prix.
Adding to the excitement were athletes Brian Raats, the 2024 African champion in the men’s high jump, and Benjamin Richardson, a top contender in the 200m men’s event. Richardson, a decorated athlete, boasts an impressive record, having secured silver in the 4x100m and bronze in the 100m events at the 2024 African Championships.
President of Athletics South Africa James Moloi said the World U20 bronze medallist and Olympic 4x100m silver medallist Bradley Nkoana was among the top attractions in the 200m men’s event, alongside Okon.
“These athletes were not only competing for glory but also vying for spots in upcoming major championships, including the ASA Senior Championships in Potchefstroom (April 24 – 26), the African Athletics U20 Championships in Algeria, and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September),” said Moloi.
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“Cape Town was set for a thrilling week of athletics, thank you for hosting us. With the level of talent displayed at the event, we expected at least two national records to be broken – the only question was which ones would fall. Congratulations to all the winners in the event,” said Moloi.
