National records tumble at AustraliaSouth Africa
Test Match
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
13 March 2000 - South Africa beat Australia 126-109 to win the inaugural Engen International Test Match at the Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort, a city to the west of Johannesburg.
South Africa won the men’s contest scoring 75 points to Australia’s 54. The visitors edged the hosts in the women’s counts by 55 points to 51.
The showdown between the track and field powerhouses of the Southern Hemisphere, was spiced with the entry of an Africa select team (who were not scoring) comprising of athletes warming up for the Engen Summer series which gets underway on Saturday. In all 47 performances were inside the Olympics A-category qualifying standard.
South African Hendrik Mokhanyetsi lived up to his promise when he cracked 45 seconds in the 400 metres with a winning time of 44.94. He bettered the stadium record and a career best of 45.30 achieved two years ago.
Compatriot Marcus la Grange improved his career best by 0.25 to finish runner up in 45.17. Australians Patrick Dwyer (45.36) and Daniel Batman (45.68), Africa select’s Jopie van Outshoorn (45.75) and Tshepo Thobelangope (46.31) followed in that order.
"After the national championships last week, l said to myself that every race during the Test match and Engen series must see an improvement in my time. I am focussed on making the big time this year.
"I am going to take the Engen series seriously and l am looking forwards to racing against Michael Johnson in Cape Town on March 31. Hopefully l will run faster in that race than l have run tonight," said a delighted Mokhanyetsi.
The men’s 400m hurdles produced the best results of the meeting as six athletes were inside the Olympic qualifier of 49.90. South Africa’s Llewellyn Herbert won the main race in 48.79. He was followed by compatriot Hennie Botha (49.22), Australia’s Blair Young (49.40) and Namibian Willie Smit 49.47.
The invitation race saw Hungarian Tibor Bedi (49.62) and Alwyn Myburgh of South Africa (49.73) qualify for the first time. South African Surrita Febbraio won the women’s version and in the process improved her career best by 0.10 to 55.22.
As expected, South Africa’s strength in the field events was crucial to the host’s victory. Okkert Brits won the men’s pole vault in 5.80, while Elmarie Gerryts won the women’s contest in 4.30m. Frantz Kruger dominated the discus with a throw of 65.05m, as Burger Lambrechts carried the day with a 20.11m shot put.
The Optus Stars also had several moments of glory. Justin Anzelark confirmed that he could be the first Australian to compete in the shot put at the Olympics in 40 years. He surpassed the Olympic qualifier by 17 centimetres and in the process set a national record with a heave of 19.87m. Andrew Curry won the Javelin in 83.46, while Alison Lever was victorious in the women’s discus with a throw of 62.55m.
Holland’s Patrick van Balkom proved he was a cut above the rest in the invitation 100m and 200m races with winning times of 10.27 and 20.42 respectively. South Africa’s World Youth Games 100m champion Paul Gorries won the main 200m race and in the process improved his career best by 0.06 to 20.59.
Australian sprinter Melinda Gainsford-Taylor won the 200m in 22.54. She atoned for her poor start in the 100m, which saw South African Wendy Hartman win in 11.33. Gainsford-Taylor was second in 11.34.
"It has been a long season. After 25 races under 23 seconds in four months, l am quite satisfied that l have concluded my domestic season well. My personal best is 22.25 and when l get a little more training and freshen up, l should be able to duck under 22 seconds. It is my dream to achieve this during the Olympics," said Gainsford-Taylor, the 1995 World indoor 200m champion.
She went on to anchor the victorious Australian women’s 4x100m relay team who clocked 43.76 seconds. South Africa were runners up in 44.41, ahead of
Australia B who were timed 47.12.
The meeting ended on an exciting note when the South Africa men’s team (Leroy
Newton, Paul Gorries, Marcus la Grange, Matthew Quinn) set a national record of 38.69 in the 4x100m. They edged Australia who stopped the clock in 38.78. Three other teams ducked below the crucial 40-second barrier. They were Australia B (39.26), International Stars (39.37) and Africa Select (39.59).
