Curro Salt Rock’s Oliver Oosthuizen smashed a 20-year record and clinched double gold at the SACSSA Nationals in a weekend of tactical brilliance.

Oliver stunned spectators when he won the boys’ 800m at the South African Christian Schools Sports Association National Championships (SACSSA), held at the Msunduzi Athletics Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on September 26 and 27.

Trailing for most of the race on Friday, the 12-year-old surged in the final 100m to overtake the leader and win by 38 split seconds, clocking a record-breaking time of 2:14:96.

Inspired by his favourite Formula 1 driver, Oliver’s tactical approach paid off.

“When I could not pass on the inside, I thought: ‘What would Max Verstappen do?’ I then calculated what it would take to go on the outside and I did that,” said Oliver.

“I remembered my training and what I needed to do to push harder to get the job done.”

In Saturday’s boys’ 1 500m, he delivered another gold-medal performance, finishing in 4:44.34 – nearly four seconds ahead of second place and achieving a personal best.

The Grade 7 athlete’s achievement is especially significant given his second-place finish in the 1 500m at the KZN Christian Schools Sports Association provincial championships in August.

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“I am very passionate about running. It is more than a sport to me, and I want to get even better,” he said.

Curro’s head of primary school sport, Phelelani Mtembu, praised Oliver’s dedication and growth.

“This record did not come as a surprise,” said Mtembu.

“We have been building gradually, focusing on development without putting pressure on our athletes. Oliver’s training indicated faster times were coming, especially in the 800m.”

In preparation for nationals, Curro intensified training, relocating sessions to Kings Park Athletics Stadium.

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“This allowed us to fine-tune crucial aspects like starts, positioning, pacing and finishing strategy,” said Mtembu.

Oliver will now enjoy a week off from training before heading into a six-day camp from October 6 to 11 in preparation for the KZN Sub Primary Youth Championships in November.

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