Brakpan teen helps power SA to gold at World Athletics Relays

Leendert Koekemoer’s maturity, which helped South Africa win the men’s 4x400m gold medal at the World Athletics (WA) Relays Guangzhou 25 in China, was replaced by youthful exuberance when the national relay teams touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday.

Brakpan Herald reports that the 400m sensation and his teammates were welcomed with fanfare after the men’s 4×100m and 4x400m teams clinched gold medals.

The women’s 4×400m team earned bronze, as South Africa finished at the top of the medal standings. The 18-year-old will jet off to Tokyo for the WA Championships in September after the teams qualified for the competition.

Koekemoer shone in the final with a blistering third leg. Botswana had a slight advantage over South Africa when he received the baton.

He found his footing, running the second-fastest split of 44:23 to finish strongly, giving anchor Zakithi Nene the straightforward job of securing the gold.

“It was fantastic. I did not go to the relays to run a fast time. I just wanted to give the baton to Zakithi first. The time came by itself. I did not realise it until the end,” he said.

Sharing his experience as the youngest member of the team, the Dalview, Brakpan, resident thanked his seniors for taking him in and showing him the ropes.

“I had a wonderful experience. It was my first time out of the country. All the senior guys helped me. They invited me in. They helped me with this and that. It was a pleasant experience.”

Koekemoer first showed glimpses of his potential two years ago when he won the national U18 400m title in 46:38. However, injuries affected his progress last year.

He returned strongly this year, starting with a blistering 45:96 at the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 in January, dipping under 46 seconds for the first time.

He has since broken the 46-second barrier three more times, including breaking the SA U20 record when he ran 45:03 at the ASA senior track and field championships in Potchefstroom last month, smashing Riaan Dempers’ 31-year-old record.

Growing up in Brakpan, the Helpmekaar Kollege matriculant never envisaged he would enjoy so much success in the sport he loves this early in his career.

“I always wanted to run, but did not know I could run this well. If not for my parents, coach Lindi du Plessis and training partner Lythe Pillay, I would not be here. I want to keep my head in the game. The 400m is a very mental race. You must know the lactic will come at the end,” Koekemoer said.

Pillay, a former national 400m champion from Brentwood Park, is a role model for Koekemoer, who described Pillay’s significant influence on his career.

“I started training with Lythe when I was in Grade 8. I have been with him my whole career. I trained every 400m session with him. If not for him pushing me, I would not be here. He is a role model and someone you can look up to.”