Viljoen spears record in South Africa

Nineteen year old Sunette Viljoen set an African record at the South Africa Student Sports Union (SASSU) Track and Field Athletics Championships staged at the Puk/McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom, South Africa last weekend (6 Friday – 7 Saturday December 2002).

The two-day event saw a new generation of talented athletes step out of the shadows, with SASSU using the event to select a provisional South Africa squad for the World Student Games next year. 

Urged on by a partisan crowd, Viljoen set an Africa women’s javelin record with a 58.33m effort in her fifth throw of the competition. Viljoen not only improved the SASSU championships (52.04), and South Africa (55.83) records, but also shattered the previous Africa mark of 56.20m that was held by Aida Sallem of Tunisia. Viljoens previous best was 54.55m.

Although she did not achieve her target of 60m, the Sports Management and Recreation student was nonetheless delighted. “My aim was to surpass the 60 metres mark. I am grateful to God for what I have achieved. It was a great feeling to achieve an Africa record in the presence of my parents who drove from Rustenburg (over 200km away).”

While Viljoen also bats for the South African women’s cricket team, she says her first priority is to excel in javelin. This was a significant factor in her decision to enrol at Potchefstroom University. The institution is a world-famous stable for elite javelin throwers. Viljoen trains under the watchful eyes of Tersis Liebenburg, mentor of the 1997 World Javelin Champion Marius Corbett. 

“Sunette is enthusiastic about her training and in a couple of years, I believe she will be a force to reckon with internationally. We will avoid rushing her to the apex of world javelin. It takes years to mature into a world class athlete,” said Liebenburg.
 
The meeting produced six more championships records most of which where in the women’s events. Marizca Gertenbach amassed 5090 points for a career best in the Heptathlon. Marlene Breytenbach clocked 2:04.55 in 800m. Esti Wittstock improved the championship 400m record to 52.96 seconds before also winning the 200m in 23.56.

A bronze medallist at the 1999 All Africa Games, Maranelle du Toit heaved the shot put to a distance of 17.30m. She later was also runner up in the Discus (49.48m). “My goal is to surpass 17.50m by the end of our domestic season. That way I will be on track for the 18 metres mark and a possible medal at the World Student Games.”

Frikke van Zyl won the men’s 110m hurdles in a championship record of 13.72. While Johan Pretorius was timed 3:45.18 in the 1500m and later also won the 800m in 1:49.17.

Newcomer Innes Viviers improved his 400m career best by 0.31 seconds to 45.88, with the 1999 World Student s bronze medallist, Jopie van Oudshoorn  runner up in 46.12.

Although placed third in the men’s 20km race walk, Marc Mundell set a South Africa Junior record of 1:41:20 in his first attempt at the distance.

Returning to competition after an absence through injury, former Africa Championships silver medallist John Sullivan won the men’s shot put with 18.13m

At the end of the contest SASSU selected a provisional squad of 28 men and 10 women for the next World Student Games in Daegu, South Korea. “We will finalise the team next year. Athletes who improve their performances during our domestic season could earn a place on the teams,” said Mariana Meyer, the Convenor of Selectors.

Mark Ouma for the IAAF

Selected Results -

Note
HT denotes Hand Time
PB denotes Personal best
CR denotes championships record
AR  denotes Africa record
SAJ South Africa Junior record

MEN
100m (-0.4)
1 Benedictus Botha 10.4 HT
2 10.4 HT
3 10.5 HT

200m (0.0)
1 Nico Grimbeeck 21.02
2 Graeme Dehrmann 21.11
3 Jopie van Oudshoorn 21.34

400m
1 Innes Viviers 45.88 PB
2 Jopie van Oudshoorn 46.12
3 Dirk Roets
 
110m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Frikkie van Zyl 13.72 CR
2 Stephan Hanekom 14.48
3 Rohan Mitchell 14.54
 
400m Hurdles
1Okkert Cilliers 49.83
2 Marnus Kritzinger 50.20
3 Martin Willemse 50.44
 
800m
1 Johan Pretorius 1:49.17
2 Kobus Pretorius 1:50.34
3 Adriann van Wyk 1:50.73

1500m
1 Johan Pretorius 3:45.18 CR
2 Juan van Deventer 3:45.87
3 Victor Sethosa 3:52.48
 
3000m Steeplechase
1 Sylvester Mohalakane 8:56.8 HT
2 Joel Kgokong 8:56.9 HT
3 Mandla Maseko 9:15.6 HT

5000m
1 Jac Steenekamp 14.30.74
2 Wilhelm Steyn 14:31.87
3 Hendricus Cook 14:34.11

10000m
1 Jac Steenekamp 30:47:53
2 Joseph Moilwagothle 30:54:86
3 Naville Mokere 31:00.28

20 kmWalk
1 Andre Enslin 1:38:32.0
2 Ihan Collins 1:39:10.0
3 Marc Mundell 1:41:20.0   SAJ

Long Jump
1 Martin McClintock 7.48
2 Yaw Fosu-Amoah 7.47
3 Nico Grimbeech 7.46

High Jump
1 Raymond Fletcher 2.10
2 Mark Antonels 2.05
3 Wynand Harmse 2.00

Triple Jump
1 Heinrich Laurens 14.99
2 Mkuseli Marala 14.92
3 Jason Kidza-Sewany 14.87

Pole Vault
1 Johan du Plessis 4.65
2 Jaco Bester 4.30
 
Javelin
1 Willie Human 74.33
2 Brian Erasmus 72.61
3 Frans Human 71.03

Discus
1 Johannes van Wyk 59.02
2 Roelie Potgieter 48.23
3 John Fick 46.18

Shot Put
1 John Sullivan 18.13 PB
2 Roelie Potgieter 18.11 
3 Wessel Lemmer 17.52

 Hammer
1 Riaan Smit 66.93
2 Rudi Venter 60.06
3 Johan Harmse 57.12

 Decathlon
1 Francois Potgieter 6972
2 Kobus Verster 54.31
3 Joe Xaba 5411

4x100m
1 University of Pretoria 40.78
2 Rands Africans University 41.48
3 Potchefstroom University  41.6

4x400m
1 Rands Afrikaans University 3:13.4 HT
2 Potochefstroom University 3:14.4 HT
3 University of Port Elizabeth 3:14.5 HT
 
Half Marathon (Road race) 
1 Ashley Scheepers 1:06:53
2 Piet Jacob 1:07:49
3 Daniel Nkoane 1:08:33
4 Victor Buso 1:69:08
5 Jim Shabalala 1:09.25

WOMEN
100m  (0.0)
1 Carika Potgieter 12.13
2 Mia du Toit 12.24
3 Karin Pretorius 12.30

200m (0.0)
1 Esti Wittstock 23.56
2.Carika Potgieter 24.46
3 Michelle Louw 24.71

400m
1 Esti Wittstock 52.96 CR
2 Melodi van der Merwe 54.10
3 Marna Costanzo 54.64

100m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Marida Pretorius 14.9
 2 Heleen Els 14.95
3 Lisa de Villiers 15.02

400m Hurdles
1 Helen Els 1:01.92
2 Juanee Pekelharing 1:02.39
3 Alison Heydenrych 1:04.52
 
800m
1 Marlene Breytenbach 2:04.55 CR
2 Chantal Breedt 2:05.72
3  Lisa van der Merwe 2:06.84

1500m
1 Rene Kalmer 4:22.59
2 Marlene Breytenbach 4:22.64
3 Lisa van der Merwe 4:28:36

3000m Steeplechase
1 Minette Bell 10:42.71
2 Andrea Horak 10:44.53
3 Myrette Filmalter 10:47.08

5000m
1 Rene Kalmer 17:07:3 HT
2 Minette Bell 17:26.5 HT
3 Ezbe Strydom 17:33.0 HT
 

10km Walk
1 Natalie Fourie 53:05.0
2 Karen-Marie Becker 54:21.0
3 Daleen Enslin 55:37.0

Long Jump
1 Karen Potgieter 5.97
2 Karen May 5.83
3 Delia Visser 5.78

High Jump
1 Marizca Gertenbach 1.80
2 Mariana Banting 1.80
3 Dianne Wondergem 1.70
3 Mariette Loum 1.70
3 Gayle Kock 1.70

Triple Jump
1 Mariana Banting 12.64
2 Karen Pretorius 12.31
3 Annalene Hartley 11.54

Pole Vault
1 Jhana Knoetze 3.20
2 Honorata Saar 3.20

Javelin
1 Sunette Viljoen 58.33 PB/CR/AR
2 Maryke le Roux 49.82
3 Beula Potgieter 49.81

Discus
1 Elizna Naude 55.35
2 Maranelle du Toit 49.48
3 Mariska van Zyl 46.50

Shot Put
1 Maranelle du Toit 17.30 PB/CR
2 Mariska van Zyl 12.86
3 Letitia Kock 12.56

Hammer
1 Ingrid  Doubell 42.07
2 Mariska van Zyl 34.20
3 Letitia Kock 33.61

Heptathlon
1 Marizca Gertenbach  5090 CR(47.03)
2 Hanalee van der Walt 46.81
3 Luzanne van Leeuwen 44.69
 
4x100m
1 Free State University 47.18
2 Rand Afrikaans University 47.32
3 University of Pretoria 48.05

4x400m
1 University of Pretoria 3:44.1 HT
2 Rand Afrikaans University 3:56.0 HT
3 Technikon Pretoria 3:59.5 HT

Half Marathon (Road race)
1 Ezbe Strydom 1:22:46
2 Simone Faasen 1:22:58
3 Lauren Weyer 1:24:06
4 Julia Janse van Rensburg 1:25:03
5 Norma Nokonyana 1:25:47