Oluchi keeps pace with the best

Top junior athlete, Oluchi Ndubueze (11) is still on cloud nine after a string of successes in recent months.

The I Have Talent Sports Academy athlete and Northwest Christian School learner was voted last year’s Northcliff Melville Times’ Junior Person of the Year.

But since then she has only gone from strength to strength, representing her school at the Randburg cluster meeting in February at Ruimsig Stadium, where she won gold in 80m, 100m and long jump.

Later that month she won gold medals in the same three categories when she represented the Randburg cluster at the Johannesburg North D10 District Championships at Hoërskool Vorentoe High School.

This qualified her to represent the district at the Gauteng Primary School Athletics Championships in March. There were 16 districts particpating on the day and each had two athletes representing them.

Against the province’s best, Oluchi came out tops with a gold in long jump, which included a new Gauteng record of 4.78m.

She also won silver medals in 80m and 100m and helped the older age group U12 team win a bronze medal in relay.

She was in the top three victrix ludorums on the day. Oluchi was qualified to represent Gauteng at the South Africa School Athletics Championships in Bloemfontein in 80m, 100m and long jump. However, the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing nationwide lockdown. She is also due to represent Gauteng at the Athletics South Africa Chamionships in Pietermaritzburg, which has been postponed until further notice.

Off the athletics track, Oluchi earned provincial colours in the older U12 age group for her selection in the western Gauteng indoor netball team for a tournament that was postponed after only one day of play in March.

She also made it into the U12 Johannesburg north D10 district hockey squad, but all the regional and provincial tournaments have been cancelled for the rest of the season.