Louis van Zyl (RSA) wins gold at 400m Hurdles in Kingston 2002 (© Getty Images)
The World Junior Championships has become a successful hunting ground for South African athletes and with one current champion defending his title and various other strong medal prospects, of which sprinter Leigh Julius is one, it is generally hoped that 2004 in Grosseto will be no exception.
"LJ" returns to defend Kingston crown
Two years ago young Louis van Zyl – he prefers to be called "LJ" – provided one of the exceptional performances at the Kingston meeting when he won the 400m Hurdles in brilliant fashion in a new Championship record of 48.89.
At that stage he had never broken 50 seconds for the event but he exhibited his exceptional class by sprinting away from his opponents in the final straight. It all happened on the day before his 17th birthday. 2003 was his final school year and he took matters very easy except for one major surprise when he won the South African senior title from the outside lane, pipping national record holder, Llewellyn Herbert at the tape. His best time during the year was 49.22.
This year things did not go very well for Van Zyl during the early part of the local season. He was defeated at the national junior meeting and at various other meetings by Wouter le Roux, a bright new prospect who ended the local season with a best of 49.45 and three more sub 50 seconds clockings.
In the recent Southern Africa Junior Championships in neighbouring Botswana, Van Zyl beat Le Roux who was a silver medal winner at the 2003 World Youth Championships. Both are tremendously hopeful for the Championships in Grosseto but only time will tell what will happen there when they encounter the regular tough hurdlers from the United States.
Upholding a tradition
The two young hurdlers are both extremely positive and determined to continue South Africa’s fine record in the 400 Hurdles. Marnus Kritzinger won gold at the inaugural IAAF Youth Championships in 1999 while Ter de Villiers (2nd) and Ockert Cilliers (3rd) distinguished themselves at the World Juniors in 2000.
Following a time of 51.14 over the men’s hurdles at the age of 15 it was generally thought that "LJ" would win gold at the World Youth in 2001 but unfortunately he was disqualified for trailing his leg in the heats. He more than rectified that mistake in Jamaica.
He enrolled at Free State University in Bloemfontein this year and is currently in Europe for a few meetings but the next important stop is Grosseto where he and Le Roux also hope to qualify for the Olympic Games. One place is still vacant in the team for Athens with Kritzinger and Llewellyn Herbert the main candidates. Earlier this year Van Zyl, who turns 19 on 20th July, lowered his personal best over 400 metres to 46.41.
A challenge to Bolt?
The 19-year-old Leigh Julius, who won the 200 metres at the 2003 World Student Games in Korea, lowering his personal best from 20.79 to 20.49, is another bright South African prospect and potential medallist in both sprints. He also returned home with the silver medal in the 100 metres, and this year he just continued where he left off in September.
Leigh, a student at the University of Port Elizabeth and like "LJ" van Zyl, also a product of a small country town, has a cool head on his shoulders and is a very gutsy and positive competitor. He has matured over the last 18 months and does not fear any opposition. He has a very good local season behind him and won the sprint titles at the national senior and junior championships, also qualifying for the Olympic team in the longer sprint race.
He made his first impact at international level in 1999 when, at 14, he won both under 16 sprints at the Pacific Schools Games in Sydney with times of 10.89 and 21.96. With exception of the 200m (under 20) he presently owns all South African junior, youth and sub-youth records behind his name.
Under coach Maryke Doubell, a former leading sprinter, he improved his personal bests this year to 20.44 (also a 20.47) and 10.32 (and a wind-assisted 10.29) but he was not nearly extended to what can be expected of him in Grosseto.
Although Jamaican Usain Bolt seems to be in a class of his own over 200 metres, the 1.70m tall South African is very much in medal contention and his philosophy is that whenever he is in a race, he has a chance and must be beaten first.
At this stage, he occupies third position on the 2004 World Junior list over 200 and 100 metres. However, being a formidable competitor, there is no doubt that he will make his presence felt when the pressure is really on.
