Gladwin Mzazi nabs a 5000m win in Stellenbosch (© Image SA)
A national record and a number of Olympic B qualification marks were the best on offer in a relatively unspectacular opening meet of the South African Yellow Pages series at Coetzenberg stadium in Stellenbosch on Tuesday (20).
Pierre de Villiers set a new South Africa record for the 3000m Race Walk in the opening event. De Villiers took 11 minutes 24.04 second to eliminate Chris Britz’s 23-year-old record (11:27.2) and for much of the race was closely chased by Wayne Snyman who finished the night disqualified for infringements.
De Villiers who is coached by Carl Meyer, has shown steady improvement over the past years and will doubtlessly put his name to other walk records in the coming years.
Although billed as a fest for middle distance events, the meet failed to live up to expectations no doubt partially due to the non-arrival of the Kenyan challenge. Clemont Langat, who had been crowned African Cross country Champion only two days before, and William Sitonik failed to start in the 5000m.
This meant the running was left to South Africa’s new indoor 3000m record holder, Elroy Gelant, who started with the clear intent of chasing down a 13:20. After several swaps in the lead Gladwin Mzazi’s kick finally delivered a win in 13:24.5 with Gelant settling for second in a B standard time of 13:25.98.
It had been hoped that the Kenyans would stay on for the track meeting to boost the chances of local athletes to make the qualifying standards. However not only did the Kenyans fail to arrive at the start but also Stephen Mokoka and Tshamano Setone who had been expected to make the running were ‘did not starts’.
Distance runners will have to wait for the South African Track and Field Championships in Port Elizabeth on 14 April for another opportunity of a low altitude competition before heading to Europe.
As expected, and true to his traditional race strategy, national record holder Ruben Ramolefi went out hard in the 3000m steeplechase to lead from the front in search of an 8:23 A qualification standard. Although the target is well within the grasp, the goal melted away over the final four laps leaving the 33-year-old over four seconds adrift of the qualification. His 8:27.58 helped to pull Dean Brummer (8:30.62) and Ugandan Jacob Aratany (8:31.15), who recovered from a fall on the final bend, under the 8:32 B qualifying standard.
Rorisang Rammonya also made the B standard in the 400m, leaving the others in her wake when she burst through the line in 51.98. Although usefully clear of the 52.35 B standard she failed to meet the required 51.55 that would get her a step closer to a seat on the plane to London 2012. Namibia’s Tjipekapekapora Henrunga was a distant second in 52.45 seconds.
Wenda Theron in the 400m hurdles was the only other B qualifier in the meet, taking 56.25 to complete the one lapper.
After two failed attempts Luvo Manyonga leapt 8.00m to secure the top spot in the Long Jump, and arguably the field performance of the night, with Zarck Visser earning second in 7.95m.
Norrie Williamson for the IAAF
