Morne Nagel in Stellenbosch (© Mark Ouma)
400m hurdler Alwyn Myburgh and sprinter Morne Nagel defied the unfavourable weather conditions, and posted their best performances this season at yesterday's ABSA Series meeting at the Coetzenburg Stadium (Fri 10 March).
Drawn in lane two, Myburgh got off to an aggressive start and drew shoulder to shoulder with Llewellyn Herbert who was in the lane to his immediate right on the back straight. The early effort paid off as he held off Herbert on the home straight to win in 48.75 seconds. Herbert (48.95), Louis van Zyl (49.62) and Ter de Villiers (49.80) were the others to dip below 50 seconds.
“What's important to me is to run consistently. This is only my second hurdles race this year and there is still a whole season ahead. Later in the year I hope to improve my career best of 48.09 during the European summer season,” confirmed Myburgh.
Elsewhere, in the men’s 100m Morne Nagel (10.27) held off a late surge by Sherwin Vries (10.28). Then later again running against a chilly headwind, Nagel went on to beat Leigh Julius in a thrilling 200m duel. What’s more Nagel (20.35) and Julius (20.44) not only produced their best times this year but also qualifying times for the Helsinki World Championships. Sherwin Vries (20.74), Zimbabwe Talkmore Nyongani (20.84) and Jean du Randt (20.94) followed.
“I have been racing indoors in Europe and therefore I did not expect to run so fast so soon. The weather did not bother me much as I felt quite strong today. The challenge now is to maintain this form for next week's race,” said Nagel.
After a slow start in the 3000m Steeplechase, Reuben Ramolefi surged ahead after 1000m and went on to win the event in 8:34.32.
"The pace at the beginning was too slow and I wanted to get close to the qualifier for Helsinki. So I just went ahead to push the pace. I have been greatly encouraged by winning the 4km at the Southern Africa Cross country Championships in Mauritius,” confirmed Ramolefi.
Meanwhile cheered on by the sizable crowd, Jacques Freitag continued his fine vein of form by clearing the bar at 2.32m in the men's High Jump.
Spectators were treated to a thrilling 800m where Werner Botha led the race that included Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Hezekiel Sepeng but that famous duo left too much too late and Mulaudzi (1:47.53) only barely squeezed past Botha (1:47.64) in the last 30 metres of the race. "He (Mulaudzi) was very lucky. I am getting better and next time things may turn out differently," said a smiling Botha.
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
SELECTED RESULTS
Note: All athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned HEL A denotes achieved qualifier for World Championships Helsinki A Standard HEL B denotes achieved qualifier for World Championships Helsinki B Standard SR denotes ABSA Series record PB denotes Personal best
MEN
100m (-3.5)
1 Morne Nagel 10.27 HEL B
2 Sherwin Vries 10.28 HEL B
3 Jean du Randt 10.37
200m(-0.3)
1 Morne Nagel 20.35 HEL A
2 Leigh Julius 20.44 HEL A
3 Sherwin Vries 20.74 HEL B
4 Talkmore Nyongani (Zimbabwe) 20.84
5 Jean du Randt 20.94
400m
1 Marcus la Grange 46.64
2 Hendrick Mokganyetsi 47.38
3 Nathan van Wyk 47.69
110m Hurdles (+2.8)
1 Hennie Kotze 13.95 PB
2 Frikkie van Zyl 14.06
3 Janco Kotze 14.38
400m Hurdles
1 Alwyn Myburgh 48.75 HEL A
2 Llewellyn Herbert 48.95 HEL A
3 Louis van Zyl 49.62 HEL B
4 Ter de Villiers 49.80 HEL B
800m A
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:47.53
2 Werner Botha 1:47.64
3 Hezekiel Sepeng 1:48.31
800m B
1 Cedrick Arendse 1:53.58
1500m
1 Johan Pretorius 3:43.37
2 Johan Cronje 3:43.44
3 Francois Pretorius 3:44.57
3000m Steeplechase
1 Reuben Ramolefi 8:34.32
2 Emmanuel Mkhabela 8:41.58
3 Petros Monyai 8:52.23
4 Mandla Maseko 8:59.85
10000m
1 Hendrick Ramaala 29:20.13
2 Lindikhaya Mthangeyi 29:20.30
3 Bongani Bhitane 29:40.24
Long Jump
1 Pieter Smit 7.85 (+2.2)
2 Driaan Cornelissen 7.15 (+3.1)
3 Keenan Watson 7.12 (+4.18)
High jump
1 Jacques Freitag 2.32 HEL A
2 Ramsay Carelse 2.20
3 Zeig Veenemans 2.15
Pole Vault
1 Okkert Brits 5.40
2 Fanie Jacobs 5.20
3 Johan du Plessis 5.00
Javelin
1 Lohan Rautenbach 74.38
2 Hardus Pienaar 70.74
3 Willie Human 69.11
Shot Put
1 Janus Robberts 19.36
2 Rolie Potgieter 18.74
3 Burger Lambrechts 18.55
Hammer Throw
1 Chris Harmse 73.85
2 Wernerr Smit 67.94
3 Johan Kruger 49.65
WOMEN
100m (-2.7)
1 Janice Josephs 11.52
2 Wendy Seegers 11.66
3 Cindy Stewart 11.97
200m(-4.9)
1 Geraldine Pillay 23.42
2 Janice Joseph 23.54
3 Susan Deacon 24.18
400m
1 Heide Seyerling 53.58
2 Diminique Koster 55.55
3 Amanda Kotze 55.74
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febrraio 57.3
2 Chantelle Terblanche 59.3
3 Monique Balsamo 1:00.9
1500m
1 Lebogana Phalula 4:18.46
2 Marlene Breytenbach 4:21.25
3 Lisa van der Merwe 4:22.39
5000m Walk
1 Nicolene Cronje 22:50.6
2 Suzanne Erasmus 24:27.9
3 handrie Botha 25:17.6
5000m
1 Poppy Mlambo 16:10.2
2 Tebogo Masehla 16:53.3
3 Lena Lotter 16:53.9
Pole Vault
1 Lindie Roux 3.90
Discus
1 Elizna Naude 57.20
2 Magdel Venter 45.15
3 Lindi-Lee 35.87
