Khotso Mokoena after he 8.34 leap in Tshwane (© Mark Ouma)
South Africans Khotso Mokoena and Morne Nagel qualified for the World Championships at the Yellow Pages Track and Field series meet in the South African capital Tshwane on Friday (9). The meet attracted the largest number of athletes in the sixth and final leg of the series. It also served as a warm-up for the national senior championships in the Indian Ocean port city of Ethekwini next weekend.
Mokoena threatens own national Long Jump record
Returning home after a successful indoor stint in Finland and France, Mokoena won the Long Jump in convincing style with a leap of 8.34. It was a mere five centimetres shy of his national record.
“After my 8.14m indoor performance in France, I was certain of a big jump. In fact I expect to better my national record next week. This year I will focus on the Long Jump at the World Championships where there will be the kind of competition I need to break records. My Triple Jump campaign my end at the All Africa Games in (Algiers) Algeria,” Mokoena declared.
Solid 20.32 for Nagel
Competing on home turf Morne Nagel stamped his authority on the 200m where he prevailed in a time of 20.32. Such was the pace on the home straight that Sherwin Vries (20.60), Christiaan Krone (20.66), Leigh Julius (20.71), Snyman Prinsloo (20.80), Sergio Mullin (20.90) posted their fastest times this season. Earlier on Nagel (10.50) narrowly lost to Vries (10.48) in the shorter 100m.
“This was a great relief for me after my sluggish start in the 100m that cost me the race. If I can get my start right I think I can improve my national record (20.11) at the national championships,” says Nagel.
Cilliers signals a return
“After two year in the wilderness, I am back and ready take on the best,” says Ockert Cilliers who finished ahead of Pieter de Villiers (49.59) and Pieter Koekemoer (50.33) to carry the day in the 400m hurdles.
“I lost two year to a spate of injuries. It is really refreshing to be back where I truly belong, at the top of my game. I should qualify for the World Championships at the national championships next week as we expect stiff competition to carry us through,” says Cilliers.
Elsewhere Louis van Zyl returned to competition for the first time since his silver medal performance at the World Cup in Athletics. He won his 400m heat in 45.90. Although it was a hand time it is faster that his electronic best of 46.32.
“I came out to establish that I have fully recovered after the operation following my groin injury last year. I usually start my season with a race in the 400m flats. I think this performance proves I am in fine shape for the national championships next week,” Van Zyl revealed.
Elsewhere, victories for Samaria and Nyongani
In her first 800m race since the Commonwealth Games, Namibian Agnes Samaria held back until just over 250m before taking the lead. She went on to win in 2:03.89. Lebogang Phalula (2:05.09) was runner up, while the vastly improved Mapaseka Makhanya (2:06.21) was third in a career best.
“My training under a new coach is paying off. I did not know what to expect so I ran a conservative race for the first lap. I have not begun speed work so. If I can run such times on endurance alone then I expect to go well under two minutes this year,” says Samaria.
Zimbabwe’s Africa 400m bronze medallist Talkmore Nyongani (45.70) left no doubt as to who is in charge in the one lap race. South Africa’s up-and-coming Reuben Majola (45.90) clocked a personal best albeit a hand time. He was followed by national champion Jan van der Merwe (46.30), Sidwell Mithi (46.50), Paul Gorris (46.90), Botswana’s California Molefi (47.10), and Eric Milazar of Mauritius (47.60).
“This is my first race this year and it was crucial to get a good time. I was third at the Grand Prix in Doha (Qatar) last year. This time my target in Doha is to better my position. The faster times will come,” says Nyongani.
Other notable performances came in the men’s and women’s Shot Put where Janus Robberts (19.31) and Simone du Toit (16.51) were the comfortable winners. Elizana Naude won the women’s Discus Throw with an effort of exactly 60m.
Despite suffering a bout of flu Motsamai Motone (8:13.71) led from the second lap to win a tactical men’s 3000m, while Rene Kalmer blew away the field to win the women’s version in 8:58.67. Elsewhere sprinter Geraldine Pillay pulled a 100m (11.59) and 200m (23.49) double.
Also of note was Cheyne Rahme who achieved a milestone in his fledging career when he not only won the Pole Vault event but set a national under-17 record. The 16-year-old cleared a height of 4.92m, a centimetre higher that then previous mark. “I was very excited when I set the record. With more concentration at the nationals championships I hop to go over five metres,” says a delighted Rahme.
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
SELECTED RESULTS
WAC denotes qualified ‘A’ Standard for IAAF World Championships, AFR denotes Africa record, NR denotes national record, HT denotes hand time, NWR denotes no win reading, PB denotes personal best, Note: All Athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned.
MEN -
100m A (-1.2)
1 Sherwin Vries 10.48
2 Morne Nagel 10.50
3 Christiaan Krone 10.53
4 Snyman Prinsloo 10.54
5 Lee-Roy Newton 10.56
6 Leigh Julius 10.57
7 Hannes Dreyer 10.62
8 Fabrice Coiffic (Mauritius) 10.82
100m B (HT)
1 Corne du Plessis 10.30
2 Ernst Hattingh 10.50
3 Jean du Randt 10.80
4 Xandre Strydom 10.90
100m C (-0.1)
1 Thabo Matibide 10.87
200m A (-1.0)
1 Morne Nagel 20.32 WAC
2 Sherwin Vries 20.60
3 Christiaan Krone 20.66
4 Leigh Julius 20.71
5 Snyman Prinsloo 20.80
6 Sergio Mullin 20.90
7 Hannes Dreyer 21.11
8 Fabrice Coiffic (Mauritius) 21.51
400m A (HT)
1 Talkmore Nyongani (Zimbabwe) 45.70
2 Ruben Majola 45.90 PB
3 Jan van der Merwe 46.30
4 Sidwell Mithi 46.50
5 Paul Gorris 46.90
6 California Molefi (Botswana) 47.10
7 Eric Milazar (Mauritius) 47.60
400m B (HT)
1 Louis van Zyl 45.90 PB
2 Oscar Pistorius 46.00
3 Pieter Smith 46.40
4 Isaac Makwala (Botswana) 46.60
5 Sibusiso Sishi 47.20
6 Wille de Beers 47.30
7 Ruaan Grobler 47.50
8 Oganeditse Moseki (Botswana) 47.90
110m Hurdles (-2.1)
1 Ruan de Vries 14.05
2 Hennie Kotze 14.27
400m Hurdles A
1 Ockert Cilliars 49.22
2 Pieter de Villiers 49.59
3 Pieter Koekemoer 50.33
4 Johan Hanekom 50.50
5 Kurt Couto (Mozambique) 51.29
6 Juan Bloem 51.94
7 Andre Hattingh 52.06
800m A
1 Juan van Deventer 1:48.04
2 Bonolo Maboa 1:48.33
3 Samson Ngoepe 1:48.53
4 Glody Dube (Botswana) 1:48.80
5 Mthobisi Baloyi 1:49.00
6 Gerrit Woest 1:49.81
7 Adriaan van Wyk 1:50.04
8 Jan Masenamela 1:51.32
9 Molefe Molefe 1:51.51
10 Lefu Lephota 1:53.45
11 Abraham Khumalo 1:53.59
800m B
1 Conrad Cooke 1:50.66
2 William Nkuna 1:51.78
3 Johre Botha 1:53.53
4 Ferdie Boshoff 1:53.62
3000m
1 Motsamai Motone 8:13.71
2 Mabinza Lukhanyo 8:14.64
3 Temba Miya 8:18.24
4 Songibdi Nkosinoxolo 8:19.14
5 Dean Brummer 8:19.68
6 Jabulani Xaba 8:20.67
7 Pule Hlabahlaba 8:26.86
3km Walk
1 Werner Appel 12:27.35
2 Thami Hlatswayo 12:30.98
3 March Mundell 12:47.82
Long Jump
1 Khotso Mokoena 8.34 WAC
2 Gable Garenamotse (Botswana) 7.79
3 Martin McClintock 7.58
4 Anton Harmse 7.32
High Jump
1 Ramsay Carelse 2.15
2 Leendert Haassbroek 2.10
3 Onnanye Ramohube (Botswana) 2.10
Triple Jump
1 Tumelo Thagane 16.30
2 Jason Sewanyana 15.79
Pole Vault
1 Cheyne Rahme 4.92 (Under-17 NR)
Javelin
1 Gebrandt Grobler 78.60
2 Willie Human 74.85
3 Tommie du Toit 71.39
Discus
1 Johannes van Wyk 56.31
2 Wynand Coetzee 53.82
Shot Put
1 Janus Robberts 19.31
2 Roelie Potgieter 18.56
3 Jan (JP) Hoffman 17.83
Hammer
1 Chris Harmse 73.93
2 Kristiaan Bekker 62.40
WOMEN -
100m (-1.0)
1 Geraldine Pillay 11.59
2 Cindy Stewart 11.86
3 Kerryn Hulsen 12.17
200m A (+0.5)
1 Geraldine Pillay 23.49
2 Cindy Stewart 24.33
400m
1 Estie Wittstock 52.95
2 Tihanna Vorster 54.84
100m Hurdles (-2.1)
1 Christine Ras 14.15
2 Sune Labuschagne 14.32
3 Erika Kleinhans 14.59
400m Hurdles
1 Amanda Kotze 57.59
2 Licinda Liebenburg 1:00.18
800m A
1 Agnes Samaria (Namibia) 2:03.89
2 Lebogang Phalula 2:05.09
3 Mapaseka Makhanya 2:06.21 PB
4 Lebo Phalula 2:07.98
5 Nicole Marais 2:08.96
6 Viola Raseboya 2:09.93 PB
7 Renee Kalmer 2:10.09
800m B
1 Elizna Schultz 2:10.40
3000m
1 Renee Kalmer 8:58.67
2 Tebogo Mashela 9:25.74
3 Catherine Nkosi 9:39.50
4 Irevette van Blerk 9:41.51
5 Poppy Mlambo 9:52.30
3 km Walk
1 Nicolene Cronje 13:16.25
2 Nomsa Buthelezi 14:50.34
Long Jump
1 Karen Mey 6.53 (-0.5)
2 Nicoleen McLaren 5.73 (NWR)
3 Lindi van Wyk 5.51 (NWR)
High Jump
1 Anika Smit 1.85
2 Tertia Stander 1.75
3 Elizabeth Lotz 1.75
4 Rene van der Merwe 1.75
5 Marizca Gertenbach 1.75
Javelin
1 Justin Robbeson 55.99
2 Sunette Viljoen 53.84
3 Anzel van der Schyff 47.22
4 Tamsin Brits 47.03
5 Linda Smit 46.71
6 Mariska Botes 45.05
7 Yolande Koekemoer 34.94
Discus
1 Elizna Naude 60.00
2 Simone du Toit 49.88
Shot Put
1 Simone du Toit 16.51
