Local athletes dominate national team for World Athletics u.20 Championships
Gauteng North's athletes once again dominate the South African junior team heading to Colombia for the World Athletics u.20 Championships.
Athletics South Africa will be taking a large 47-member team to the World Athletics u.20 Championships to be held in Cali, Colombia between 2 and 7 August.
No less than 23 of these athletes are from Gauteng North and several of them are still at school in different schools in Pretoria.
The contribution of Hoërskool Menlopark is the biggest in this respect, with five current and one former pupil who are part of the team.
Other local schools that have produced athletes are the Tuks Sports School, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Hoërskool Zwartkop, Hoërskool Montana and Prestige College.
The SA team, which includes 25 men and 22 women, features some of the country’s most exciting young prospects in a range of track and field disciplines.
Photo: Frans Lombard
Among the serious medal candidates count athletes such as sprint sensations Viwe Jingqi (Tuks Sport School), Precious Molepo (Prestige College), rising high jump star Brian Raats (Hoërskool Garsfontein) and 400h hurdler, Anjé Nel (Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool).
Also included in the strong squad are two athletes – Mine de Klerk and Benjamin Richardson – who will have the rare opportunity to earn medals at two editions of the World Athletics u.20 Championships.
Photo: Johan Orton
De Klerk, who won gold in the shot put and silver in the discus throw at last year’s junior showpiece in Nairobi, will compete in both events again in Cali. Richardson, who earned 100m silver and led the SA 4x100m relay team to a gold medal and a world record in Nairobi, will turn out in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m events in Cali.
The six-day World U20 Championships will be held at the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero.
Having finished sixth in the overall final standings at last year’s age group spectacle with nine medals (three gold, two silver and four bronze), the national squad will again be looking to make an impact against the world’s top junior athletes.
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