World
Champion Cloete heads South Africa's
Commonwealth Games
challenge
8 May 2002 - Johannesburg (Reuters) - Women's World high jump champion Hestrie
Cloete,
will spearhead
the South African medal challenge at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in
July.
Cloete, the reigning Commonwealth champion and African record holder, is widely seen as her country's best hope of a title from the team of 30 that was announced on Tuesday.
Men's 1996 Olympic 800m silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng and 400-metre hurdler Llewellyn Herbert, who won bronze at Sydney 2000, are also fancied to challenge for podium places. South Africa also have hopes for 200m runner Morne Nagel who went undefeated during the European indoor season.
The men's 4x100m relay team will also be among the favourites after their silver medal at the 2001 World championships in Edmonton.
Commonwealth hammer throw record holder Chris Harmse was selected for the team but will not be competing because his religious beliefs preclude him from competing on a Sunday, when the final will take place.
South
African squad:
Men:
Morne Nagel (200m, 4x100m relay), Hezekiel Sepeng, (800m), Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
(800m), Shaun Bownes (110m hurdles), Llewellyn Herbert (400m hurdles), Alwyn
Myburgh (400m hurdles), Jacques Freitag (high jump), Okkert Brits (pole vault),
Janus Robberts (shot put), Frantz Kruger (discus), Hannes Hopley (discus), Chris
Harmse (hammer throw), Corne du Plessis, Lee-Roy Newton, Matthew Quinn, Leigh
Julius (4x100m relay), Marcus La Grange, Hendrick Moganyetsi, Arnaud Malherbe,
Paul Gorries, Jopie van Oudtshoorn (4x400m relay), Rory Field (100m handicap).
Women:
Heide
Seyerling (400m, 4x100m relay), Surita Febbraio (400m hurdles, 4x100m), Hestrie
Cloete (high jump), Drienkie van Wyk (shot put), Veronica Abrahamse (shot put),
Elizna
Naude (discus), Dikeledi Moropane, Janice Josephs, Geraldine Pillay (4x100m).
