In a flash, the young Central Gauteng sprinting sensation, Lythe Pillay, became the star of the Sub Youth Interprovincial Championships (u.7–u.15) last weekend when he smashed the SA 400 m record for boys u.15 with a scintillating time of 46.76 seconds.
These championships took place at the Kenneth McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom on Saturday, 24 November. Pillay just missed the SA record in the 200-metre event for boys u.15 by hundredths of a second in an astonishing time of 21,35 seconds.
Another top achiever in this prestigious athletics event was Central Gauteng’s, Armandt van der Linde who threw a 72,78-metre rocket to take gold. Liam Pavier (Athletics Gauteng North) was also one of the stars of the show in the discus, with a throw of 54,68 metres.
Overall, the host athletics union, Athletics Central North West, should be satisfied with their showing on the day as they took third place with a tally of 36 medals (10 gold, 11 silver and 15 bronze).

Photos: Wouter Pienaar

The first place went to Athletics Gauteng North who bagged 71 medals with Central Gauteng Athletics taking second place with 59 medals to their name.
The top-performing stars for ACNW were Janise Nell who took gold in the girls u.15 5 km race walk in a meeting record of 25:50.27. This talented race walker has had a stellar year on the track and this gold medal was the cherry on the cake for her.
Karmen Fouché was also at her best with a Sub Youth Interprovincial record in the girls u.15 long jump with a leap of 5,85 metres to take the gold. She followed that up with silver in the girls u.15 high jump, reaching a height of 1,70 metres.
ACNW’s Emel Keyser was also way too quick for his competitors. His winning time of 12.93 in the boys u.15 100-metre hurdles earned him gold.
Marizel Meintjies, Elrie Koornhof and Sonika Brits also broke new ground for ACNW when they won gold, silver and bronze respectively in the girls u.13 1500-m race walk.
It is especially interesting that all three athletes are from Laerskool Mooirivier.
Danielle Verster also impressed with silver in the girls’ u.15 1500-metre race in a time of 04:37.33, with AGN’s star athlete, Nadia Potgieter, just beating her on the line.
In the boys’ u.15 100-m race, ACNW’s Dalan Oliphant and Phemelo Molale were at it for bragging rights. The former just beat Potch Gimmies’ Molale with a time of 10.85. Molale was no slouch, either, coming in at 10.95.
The ACNW president, Jean Verster, was pleased with the results of the local ACNW athletes.
‘ACNW did well to take the third place, given the number of athletes we have in comparison with Athletics Gauteng North, which is the top-performing union in the country. It was fantastic to see the number of talented young athletes we have in our country,” he added.

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