Starting gun sounds for athletics season
Local school athletes have already spread on sunscreen and warmed up their limbs and voices for the 2016 athletics season.
Last week Laerskool Witrivier, Hoërskool Rob Ferreira and Uplands College had their interhouse meetings to finalise the teams that will represent them at upcoming events.
Both Laerskool Witrivier and Uplands College had to continue with trials throughout the week after rain had interrupted the meetings. Results will posted on www.whiteriverpost.co.za as soon as they are made available.
At Hoërskool Rob Ferreira, participation was key and every pupil took part in the various items as a member of either the Warriors or Gladiators houses. The pavilion echoed with their shouts and the sing-song lyrics, which was good practise for the annual interhigh where they will have to compete with the best high schools in the circuit.
Several records were broken on the day like the following: Nerica Strydom bettered the record for the girls u/14 300-metre hurdles from 55,8 to 34,45 seconds. Mia Hattingh completed the girls u/15 300-metre hurdles in 10,94 seconds compared with the previous record of 54,30 seconds. Markus Klopper broke the record for boys u/14 300-metre hurdles with over five seconds and managed to equal another for high jump at 1,55 metres. Marnix Raubenheimer broke the record for boys u/14 300-metre hurdles with a time of 48,95 seconds (previous 50,06 seconds) and also managed to equal the record for high jump at 1,55 metres. Niel Erasmus broke the record for the boys u/19 shot put with a distance of 12,74 metres (previous record 12,35 metres).
The Gladiators were the overall winners of the day and earned a total of 197 medals compared with the Warriors’ 148, while the team spirit and coordination of the latter earned them the singing trophy.
The top performing athletes had little time to practice as they competed in the Sasol Athletics Open Championships at Secunda on Saturday. The 54 athletes managed to get 84 medals which include 17 gold, 34 silver and 33 bronze. The school won the boys’ competition with a total of 115 points and the girls’ with 88 points. The school was also crowned the winning team of the competition.
Both athletes and supporters of the various local schools will now be working hard to prepare for either the interprimary meeting on February 19 at Laerskool Nelspruit or Interhigh 2016, which will take place on February 20 at Hoërskool Lydenburg.
