Gauteng North athletes dominate national championships
Several local athletes from Gauteng North delivered world-class performances at the ASA Senior Track & Field and Combined Events Championships this past weekend.
Gauteng North last week once again dominated at the ASA Senior Track & Field and Combined Events Championships, which was presented in Germiston.
Local athletes from Pretoria have won 45 medals in the process, which is more than twice as much as their closest opponent, Central Gauteng. The athletes from Gauteng North won 20 gold, 15 silver and 10 bronze medals at the event.
Several local athletes were also responsible for some of the best performances at the championship and once again showed why South Africa’s athletic performance is so highly rated these days on the world stage.
Caster Semenya decided to move up in distance, taking on the 1500m and 5000m. She lined up in only her second ever competitive 5000m race and again dominated, despite a late attack by US-based Dominique Scott-Effurd.
Semenya took control in the early laps of the race, with Scott-Effurd dogging her every step. At the bell, Scott-Effurd attacked and forged ahead. Semenya though, was not going to let her maiden 5000m title slide and surged back to the front down the back straight to ease away for a comfortable victory, crossing the line in 16:05.97. Scott-Effurd came home in 16:13.71 with Kesa Molotsane rounding out the podium in 16:25.23.
On the second day of the championship, Semenya wrapped up a rare double, cruising to another national title when so won the women’s 1 500m final in 4:13.59.
* Defending champion Lindsay Hanekom built on his fine form, taking another step forward on the comeback trail after recovering from injuries to win the men’s 400m hurdles final in 48.81 seconds. In doing so, he broke the 49-second barrier for the first time in his career.
* In the men’s 200m final, Akani Simbine scorched across the line in 20.27 to secure a commanding victory. Simbine has been focusing on the longer sprints this early in the season to build his speed endurance, although the focus at the IAAF World Championships in Doha will be the 100m.
* Javelin throw queen Sunette Viljoen clinched her 13th South African title with a winning heave of 57.23m. “I think my last throw would have been a good one, but I just slipped as I came in to lock, but I’m very happy to win again and to walk away with another national title.”
* In another highlight, youth athlete Prudence Sekgodiso edged Gena Lofstrand on the line to win the women’s 800m title in 2:05.06.
* Lastly the upcoming superstar, 18-year old Zeney van der Walt achieved what she had threatened to do since last year. She pipped experienced campaigner and Olympic star Wenda Nel to win her maiden national senior 400m hurdles title in 55.93.
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