AGN dominates SA athletics team to world championships
Almost half of the team members of the SA Athletics Team that will take part in the World Championships in Qatar are athletes from Athletics Gauteng North in Pretoria.
A 31-member South African team has been named to compete at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar and 15 of these athletes – almost half the team – are from Gauteng North (GN).
The team will be led by world champion Luvo Manyonga, who will defend his global title in the men’s long jump. This time the team will be without defending champions Caster Semenya (800m) and Wayde van Niekerk (400m), who is yet to make a full comeback from a knee injury.
Boosted by some of the country’s most experienced Track and Field stars, Manyonga will be joined at the athletics showpiece by the likes of African long jump champion Ruswahl Samaai, Olympic javelin throw medallist Sunette Viljoen (GN), World Championships 100m finalist Akani Simbine (GN) and former World Championships 200m medallist Anaso Jobodwana.
The squad also features one of SA’s most exciting young prospects, world junior champion Zeney van der Walt (GN), who will compete in the women’s 400m hurdles event.
Another Gauteng North star, Simbine, meanwhile, will spearhead a strong men’s 4x100m relay team, while the squad also includes a 4x400m team which will rely on depth in the absence of Van Niekerk.
Other local stars are Clarence Munyai (200m), Thapelo Phora (400m), Tshepo Tshite (800m), Stephen Mokoka (marathon), Thabiso Moeng (marathon), Ruan De Vries (110mH), Lindsey Hanekom (400mH), Wayne Snyman (20km walk), Tebogo Mamatu (100m), Rikenette Steenkamp (100mH), Ashley Hlungwani (relay) and Ranti Marvin Dikgale (relay).
South Africa finished third overall on the medals table at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.
– The team leaves for Doha on Tuesday morning 24 September from OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg and will return home on 8 October.
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