Paul Gorries wins the 400m at the 2003 South African Championships (© Mark Ouma)
Port Elizabeth, South AfricaFormer World Junior 200 champion Paul Gorries herald his transition to 400 metres with a clear win at the ABSA South Africa Track and Field Championships staged at the University of Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The victories of two seventeen year olds, Justine Robbeson (women's Heptathlon) and Louis van Zyl (men's 400m Hurdles), also underlined a sparkling future for South African athletics.
With the domestic track and field season drawing to a close, the championships gave athletes the last opportunity to achieve the qualifying standard for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics before a provisional team is named for this summer’s global event.
Defending champion Marcus la Grange got off to a cracking pace in the 400m, covering the first 300m in under 32 seconds. Yet as the defending champion progressively faded in the home straight, the 22-year-old Paul Gorries, the 2000 World Junior 200m champion, surged past him to win in 45.47. La Grange (45.82) was runner up, with Jopie van Oudtshoorn (46.51) clinching the bronze medal.
“I was ready for a sub 45 seconds today, but the headwind slowed me down. A few more 200 metres races should help polish my speed. I hope to achieve Athletics South Africa’s stringent qualifier (45.00) in Europe in June,” said a delighted Gorries.
Justine Robbeson’s gamble to enter an Heptathlon for the second time in two weeks, paid off as she improved her Africa Junior Heptathlon record after amassing 5761 points. A fortnight ago she set the record at 5669 during the national junior championships.
“Initially I only wanted to compete in the individual Javelin and Long Jump. However, the thought of getting closer to the national senior record (6019) was a strong incentive to reconsider,” said Robbeson. In two weeks she has twice bettered the previous national junior record (5466) that was held by Janice Josephs.
Returning to competition after a hamstring injury forced her out of last month’s Engen series, the woman in question, Janice Josephs powered her way to victory in the 100m (11.45). She went on to improve her personal best in 200m by 0.36 with a 23.26 winning effort.
“I am no longer a junior and so cannot do much about my Heptathlon record that was broken. However, I intend to make my presence felt among senior athletes,” said Josephs.
Drawn in the outside lane, the World Junior 400m hurdles champion Louis van Zyl, ran conservatively until the home straight. The strategy paid off, as he speed past his more experienced opponents in the closing stages of the race.
Initially, Olympic bronze medallist Llewellyn Herbert was declared the winner. However, analysis of the photo-finish revealed that Van Zyl (49.84) at the tender age of 17 had eclipsed Herbert (49.86), and World Student Games champion Alwyn Myburgh (49.95), who clinched third place.
“Entering the home straight, I could see I was about ten metres behind the others. All I wanted was a medal. I never expected it to be the gold medal,” said van Zyl. Overcome by the turn of events, Van Zyl’s father openly shed tears of joy.
Petrus Sithole and Surita Febbraio each won national titles in their separate events for the fourth consecutive year. Sithole clocked 8:32.66 in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase. Febbraio won the women’s 100m Hurdles (13.59) and 400m Hurdles (55.92).
Olympic bronze medallist Frantz Kruger carried the day in Discus with a massive 66.70 effort. While Chris Harmse (77.04) won the Hammer throw.
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
SELECTED RESULTS
Note: The championships was restricted to South Africans
AR denoted Africa record
NR denotes nationals record
PB denotes personals best
MEN
100m (-2.3)
1 Sherwin Vries 10.44
2 Morne Nagel 10.51
3 Lee-Roy Newton 10.72
200m (-2.3)
1 Sherwin Vries 20.82
2 Morne Nagel 20.88
3 Marcus la Grange 21.19
400m
1 Paul Gorries 45.47
2 Marcus la Grange 45.82
3 Jopie van Oudtshoorne 46.51
800m
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 1:46.44
2 Graham Davidson 1:46.63
3 Werner Botha 1:48.18
1500m
1 Johan Pretorius 3:40.52
2 Juan van Deventer 3:50.79
3 Francois Pretorius 3:41.32
5000m
1 Frank Lekhwi 14:00.90
2 Simon Molokomme 14:03.48
3 Richard Mavuso 14:05.78
10,000m
1 Elias Modise 28:47.77
2 Coolboy Ngamole 28:49.21
3 Richard Mavuso 28:54.51
3000m Steeplechase
1 Petrus Stithole 8:32.66
2 Sivuyile Dlongwana 8:33.71
3 Alexander Motone 8:39.64
110m Hurdles (-3.0)
1 Shaun Bownes 13.96
2 Frikkie van Zyl 14.30
3 Ryan Dowling 14.39
400m Hurdles
1 Louis van Zyl 49.84
2 Llewellyn Herbert 49.86
3 Alwyn Myburgh 49.95
Long Jump
1 Martin McClintock 7.55 (+1.1)
2 Nico Grimbeeck 7.51 (-0.1)
3 Tiaan Pretorius 7.32 (+1.3)
Triple Jump
1 Simeon Mars 15:93 (+2.2)
2 Heinrich Laurens 15.30 (-0.9)
3 Mkuseli Marala 15.28 (-1.5)
High Jump
1 Ramsay Carelse 2.15
2 Zieg Veenemans 2.10
3 Malcolm Hendricks 2.10
Pole Vault
1 Okkert Brits 5.40
2 Fanie Jacobs 5.20
3 Riaan Botha 4.80
Shot Put
1 Burger Lambrechts 18.47
2 Roelie Potgieter 18.25
3 John Sullivan 17.90
Discus
1 Frantz Kruger 66.70
2 Johannes van Wyk 57.42
3 Cor Booysen 51.76
Hammer Throw
1 Chris Harmse 77.04
2 Werner Smit 67.83
Javelin
1 Hardus Pienaar 74.95
2 Gerbrand Grobler 72.79
3 Willie Human 71.85
Decathlon
1 Jannie Botha 7052 points
2 Francois Potgieter 6774 points
3 Jude William 5813
4x100m Relay
1 KwaZulu Natal 40.12
2 Western Province 40.56
3 Central Gauteng 41.24
4x400m Relay
1 Central Gauteng 3:09.29
2 Gauteng North 3:09.30
3 Western Province 3:11.75
20km Walk
1 Thamie Hlatwayo 1:34:07
2 Thapelo Mangole 1:34:58
3 Thabiso Tsagane 1:35:04
WOMEN
100m (-2.0)
1 Janice Josephs 11.43
2 Geraldine Pillay 11.58
3 Dikeledi Moropane 12.01
200m (-1.4)
1 Janice Josephs 23.26 PB
2 Heide Seyerling 23.42
3 Geraldine Pillay 23.54
400m
1 Heide Seyerling 51.87
2 Estie Wittstock 52.62
3 Melodi van der Merwe 54.24
800m
1 Rene Kalmer 2:03.63
2 Marlene Breytenbach 2:04.37
3 Chantal Breet 2:05.56
1500m
1 Rene Kalmer 4:11.24
2 Marlene Breytenbach 4:15.77
3 Liza ven der Merwe 4:18.00
5000m
1 Poppy Mlambo 16:07.11
2 Carleine Cornellisen 16:10.34
3 Lebohang Phalula 16:44.15
10,000m
1 Poppy Mlambo 34:51.65
2 Carlein Cornelissen 35:09.69
3 Tebogo Masehla 35:56.13
3000m Steeplechase
1 Promise Mathonsi 10:22.45
2 Minette Bell 10:44.76
3 Myrette Filmater 10:59.07
100m Hurdles (-0.6)
1 Surita Febbraio 13.59
2 Monique Balsamo 14.22
3 Chantelle Terblanche 14.31
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febbraio 55.92
2 Kerryn Hulsen 57.60
3 Chantelle Terblanche 59.96
20km Walk
1 Nicolene Cronje 1:45:12.6
2 Estle Viljoen 1:45:15.4
3 Natalie Fourie 1:45:31.8
Long Jump
1 Delia Visser 6.17 (+0.2)
2 Karin Mey 6.03 (+0.9)
3 Michelle Berowsky 5.86 (+0.5)
Triple Jump
1 Theresa de Vries 12.29 (-1.3)
2 Mariana Banting 12.09 (-0.7)
3 Charlene Henning 12.07 (-1.1)
High Jump
1 Hestrie Cloete 1.90
2 Marizca Gertenbach 1.90
3 Dinah Heymans 1.80
Pole Vault
1 Samantha Dodd 3.60
2 Marna Jacobs 3.40
2 Retha du Plessis 3.40
2 Eva Thornton 3.40
2 Leanne Viviers 3.40
Shot Put
1 Maranelle du Toit 16.68
2 Veronica Abrahamse 16.51
3 Mariska van Zyl 13.82
Discus
1 Elizna Naude 53.75
2 Maranelle du Toit 51.04
3 Mariska van Zyl 48.19
Hammer Throw
1 Elmarie Knoetzen 52.37
2 Mari Liza Coetzee 45.99
3 Ingrid Doubell 43.64
Javelin
1 Sunette Viljoen 54.32
2 Tarryn Bright 49.76
3 Marna Dippenaar 48.86
Heptathlon
1 Justine Robbeson 5761 points PB/AR
2 Luzanne van Leeuwen 4698 points
3 Valmare Louw 4608 points
4x100m Relay
1 Central Gauteng A 45.86
2 Gauteng North 46.81
3 Central Gauteng B
4x400m Relay
1 Gauteng North A 3:41.74
2 Central Gauteng 3:44.00
3 Gauteng North B 3:46.40
