News19 Mar 2005


Sprinters show promise in Pretoria

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Talkmore Nyongani (Zimbabwe) in Pretoria (© Mark Ouma)

Tshwane (Pretoria), South AfricaSprinters Talkmore Nyongani (Zimbabwe) and Geraldine Pillay (South Africa) broke new ground at the final ABSA Series meeting of this year.

Living up to his promise to end the series in winning form Nyongani accelerated into the lead on the back straight of the men’s 400m reaching the 300m in 32.9, before powering his way to victory in 44.96. Besides improving his career best by 0.02, he provided the incentive for runner up Ofentse Mogawane (45.42), Marcus la Grange (45.71), Jab van der Merwe (45.73), Hendrick Mokganyetsi (45.87), and Chris Gebhardt (46.01) to each run their best times this year. Mogawane and Van der Merwe set their career best.

“I was keen to achieve a personal of 44.80 best today, but I lacked a strong challenge on the home straight. However, I am glad that my pace enabled my training partners like Herndrick Mogkanyetsi and the promising Ofentse Mogawane to improve their times considerably,” said a delight Nyongani. “Now I hope to retain my title at the Dakar Internationals meeting in a fortnights time.”

Mogawane was excited with his feat. “It is great to achieve the A qualifying standard for the World Championships during our domestic season. I just want to repeat this kind of performance at the national championship next month.”

Pillay getting faster too

Equally delighted with her performance was Geraldine Pillay who by clocking 22.80 second in the women’s 200m improved on her career best of 22.99 which she run at the beginning of the series last month in Pochefstroom. Although she had admitted being competition-rusty Janice Josephs (23.16) was runner up. Earlier on Pillay (11.20) equalled her career best in 100m also run in (Potchefstroom), with second place Josephs (11.38) improving her career best by 0.02.

“Achieving these times here is the best treat I can give my home fans. Some of the high goals I have set for myself this season include a sub 22.5 in 200m. But first I want to improve my career bests at the national championships,” Pillay revealed.

Mulaudzi wins 800m in 1:44.65

Olympic 800m silver medallist Mbualeni Mulaudzi produced his most inspiring performance this year. Taking the lead from the pace setter (Eduard van den Heever) at 500m, Mulaudzi went on to win the race in 1:44.65. Werner Botha (1:45.62) was second.

“We asked Athletics South Africa for a pacemaker so that we can run fast times and it worked. Sometime this year, definitely want to break the national record,” said Mulaudzi. Hezekiel Sepeng holds the record of 1:42.69, while Mulaudzi's best is 1:42.89.

Myburgh’s speed helps him to win

Getting off to an aggressive start, Alwyn Myburgh (49.01) won his third consecutive 400m Hurdles race in the series. Llewellyn Herbert (49.36), Ter de Villiers (49.60), Saudi Arabia's Ebrahim Al-Hemadey (49.70),  Louis van Zyl (49.74) followed in that order.

"I think starting the series with a couple of 400m races gave me the speed with which to do well in the hurdles. At first I was not confident about my hurdling technique. However things have worked out well. I plan to sustain this form all the way to Helsinki," says Myburgh, a finalist at the Athens Olympics.

Sprinter Leigh Julius won the men's 100m (10.34) and 200m (20.48). With his sights set on the 200m in Helsinki he said “I want to improve my career best (20.44) at the national championships. Given that I will be defending my titles in both sprints, I expect the kind of challenge necessary to achieve
this.”

Although she lacks competition at home, Surita Febbraio (56.10) was just glad to have achieved the B qualifier for Helsinki. “I will be more relaxed at the national championships. Then I hope to be ready for stiffer competition during the European outdoor season later in the year,” said Febbraio.

Other highlights…

Some of the notable performances in the field events where in the Triple Jump where Khotso Mokoena (16.89m) improved his ABSA Series record by 20 centimetre. Long jumper Martin McClintock (8.05m) won his event, as Chris Harmse (78.32) and Janus Robberts (19.54) carried the day in the Hammer Throw and Shot Put respectively. World champion Jacques Freitag (2.25) made a decent performance in the High Jump.

Heide Seyerling (51.79) and Estie Wittstock (52.29) showed promised in the women's 400m. Mari-Loius Romijn (2:04.68) who has won all 800m races in the series says she hopes to break the two minute barrier at the nationals championships. Winner of the men's 3000m, Shadrack Hoff (8:09.13) says he is now set for the marathon on May 8 in Einsceday, Holland.

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 A (0.1)
1 Leigh Julius 10.34
2 Jean du Randt 10.39
3 Sherwin Vries 10.39
4 Morne Nagel 10.42
5 Salem Al Yami 10.43 (Saudi Arabia)
6 Yahya Saeed 10.46

100m B (-0.1)
1 Christian Krone 10.49
2 Emile Britz 10.71
3 Corne du Plessis 10.75

100m C (-0.7)
1 Farag Al-Dosari 10.59 (Saudi Arabia)
2 Yahya Hassan 10.60 (Saudi Arabia)
3 Mohammed Al Fardan 10.84 (Saudi Arabia)

200m A (0.3)
1 Leigh Julius 20.48 HEL A
2 Morne Nagel 20.60 HEL B
3 Sherwin Vries 20.85
4 Jean du Randt 20.90 PB
5 Sergio Mullins 21.14
6  Hamad Alibishi 21.17 (Saudi Arabia)

200m B (-0.5)
1 Bongane Matelane 22.80
2 Clinton Venter 23.17
3 Justin Green 24.04

400m A
1 Talkmore Nyongani 44.96 PB/ HEL A
2 Ofentse Mogawane 45.42 PB/ HEL A
3 Marcus la Grange 45.71 HEL B
4 Jab van der Merwe 45.73 PB/ HEL B
5 Hendrick Mokganyetsi 45.87 HEL B
6 Chris Gebhardt 46.01

400m B
1 Collen Mathebula 46.83 PB
2 Reuben Majola 47.40 PB
3 Fanus Botha 48.06

400m C
1 Tinus Erasmus 47.62 PB
2 Niville Raphetane 47.76 PB
3 Jordaan le Roux 48.19

110m Hurdles A (-0.5)
1 Hennie Kotze 14.01
2 Ruan de Vries 14.08
3 Frikkie van Zyl 14.10

110m Hurdles B (-0.6)
1 Badr Al Bouanain 14.55 (Saudi Arabia)
2 Leon Fourie 14.76
3 Tiaan Hanekom 14.80

400m Hurdles A
1 Alwyn Myburgh 49.01 HEL A
2 Llewellyn Herbert 49.36 HEL B
3 Ter de Villiers 49.60 HEL B
4 Ebrahim Al-Hemadey (Saudi Arabia) 49.70 HEL B
5 Louis van Zyl 49.74 HEL B
6 Francois Malan 50.08
7 Pieter Koekemoer 51.08
8 Johan Hanekom 51.23

400m Hurdles B
1 Jussi Heikkila (Finland) 50.86
2 Marnus Kritzinger 51.65
3 Vian Louw 51.90

800m A
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:44.65 HEL A
2 Werner Botha 1:45.65 HEL B
3 Isaiah Nkuna 1:46.89 PB
4 Johan Pretorius 1:46.93 PB

800m B
1 Tebogo Mokoatedi 1:51.05
2 Heinrich Schultz 1:51.46
3 Samuel Kalaku 1:52.39

3000m
1 Shadrack Hoff 8:09.13
2 David Mokwana 8:10.73
3 Zolile Bhitane 8:11.75

Long Jump
1 Martin McClintock 8.05 (0.8)
2 Fosu-Amoah Yaw 7.75 (0.1)
3 Ajooda Aviska 7.31 (0.8)
4 Yasser Mubarak 7.28 (0.8) (Saudi Arabia)

High Jump
1 Jacques Freitag 2.25
2 Zieg Veenemans 2.20
3 Kabelo Mmono 2.15 (Botswana)

Triple Jump
1 Khotso Mokoena 16.89 (-0.3) SR/HEL B
2 Roger Haitengi 15.03 (-0.7)
3 Kidza-Sewenyana Jason 15.01 (-0.2)

Pole Vault
1 Okkert Brits 5.50
2 Johan du Plessis 5.02
3 Riaan Botha 5.02

Javelin
1 Lohan Rautenbach 74.32
2Willie Human 73.44
3 Hardus Pienaar 73.40

Discus
1 Frantz Kruger 60.05
2 Johannes van Wyk 59.26
3 Stefan Joubert 50.20

Shot Put
1 Janus Robberts 19.54
2 Burger Lambrechts 19.23
3 Roelie Potgieter 18.31

Hammer Throw
1 Chris Harmse 78.32 HEL B
2 Werner Smit 70.79
3 Kristiaan Bekker 59.76

4x100m
1 South Africa 40.04
2 Saudi Arabia 40.12


WOMEN

100m A (0.1)
1 Geraldine Pillay 11.20 PB/HEL A
2 Janice Josephs 11.36 HEL B
3 Wendy Seegers 11.60

100m B (-0.7)
1 Gugu Mkatswa 12.25
2 Thandi Vilakazi 12.31
3 Ilanie Kruger 12.44

200m A (-0.3)
1 Geraldine Pillay 22.80 PB/HEL A
2 Janice Josephs 23.17
3 Ilze Jordaan 24.02

200m B (-0.2)
1 Mia du Toit 24.96
2 Gugu Mkatswa 25.16
3 Ilanie Kruger 25.35

400m A
1 Heide Seyerling 51.79 HEL B
2 Estie Wittstock 52.29 HEL B
3 Amanda Kotze 53.15

100m Hurdles A (-0.9)
1 Justine Robbeson 14.11
2 Sune Labuschagne 14.13
3 Chantelle Terblanche 14.29

400m Hurdles A
1 Surrita Febrraio 56.10 HEL B
2 Chantelle Terblanche 59.70
3 Mariska van Driel 1:01.12

800m A
1 Mari-Loiuse Romijn 2:04:68
2 Marlene Breytenbach 2:05.40
3 Lisa van der Merwe 2:07.89

3000m
1 Ronel Thomas 9:28.72
2 Tebogo Masehla 9:29.21
3 Ezbe Strydom 9:50.94

High Jump
1 Marizca Gertenbach 1.85
2 Anika Smit 1.80
3 Dianie Wondergem 1.75

Javelin
1 Sunnette Viljoen 54.31
2 Smit Linda 50.28
3 Justine Robbeson 49.08

Discus
1 Elizna Naude 58.68
2 Magdel Venter 47.02
3 Elene Tajaardt 46.01

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