Sumari and Sydney steal the show at Rob Ferreira
Sumari, who took gold in the girls u/16 800-metre race in a time of 2:41,21 minutes, was awarded the trophy for best senior girls athlete for long-distance events.
Sumari van Staden and Sydney Mandelkorn of Bergvlam High did their school proud at the weekend’s Mediclinic Nelspruit Interhigh.
Continuing her solid performance on the day, she also managed to take the gold in the girls u/19 3 000-metre race, finishing more than a minute ahead of her closest competitor.
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For his performance in the boys u/14 discus event, which he won with a distance of 38,12 metres, Sydney was awarded the trophy for best junior boys athlete in the throwing field events.
Braam van der Merwe, who had been working hard on his performances in long-distance track events, managed to scrape a win in the boys u/19 3 000-metre race with a time of 9:27,71, six seconds ahead of the second-placed athlete.
In the girls u/16 javelin event, Shané van Heerden took the gold, beating her closest competitor by more than three metres.
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According to Annemarie Kleynhans, principal at the school, the interhigh athletics meeting was definitely a highlight for the school’s athletes.
“With both Sumari and Sydney’s achievements, it is clear that many hours of hard work and practise paid off,” she said. “Our cheerleaders and spirit team delivered an outstanding performance on the pavillion on the day. Despite the long, hot hours in the sun their spirit could not be tempered. Everybody on the day knew that team Bergvlam was present,” said Kleynhans.
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“With the input of our coaches and the managers of the spirit team, our athletes stayed motivated throughout the day. We truly burn with pride,” she concluded.
