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“A place in the South African team to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne”. This thought will be foremost in the minds of South Africa's top senior athletes when they compete in the South African Senior Track and Field Championships in Port Elizabeth this weekend.
The Championships, which will also serve as the trials to select the team to the Commonwealth Games, will be held on Friday and Saturday at the Mecer Stadium, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Judging by performances of the athletes at the last three ASA Challenge meets, the Championships will not be short of highlights and excitement.
The 400m hurdles for men has been the highlight at the ASA Challenge meetings and the young lions, LJ van Zyl, Alwyn Myburgh, Ter de Villiers and Ockert Cilliers, will go all out for the three available places in the Commonwealth Games team. So far Van Zyl, De Villiers and Myburgh have ruled the roost but Cilliers is known to produce his best when it matters and can easily spring a surprise. A world class time can be expected in this contest.
The 400 metres for women is another event to watch. Experienced Adri Schoeman staked her claim at the ASA event in Pretoria and must start as favourite in this event but she will have to watch out for Estie Wittstock and the young Amanda Kotze.
Another event that will not be short of excitement will be the 800 metres for women. Young Chanelle Olivier is making a determined bid to secure a place to Melbourne but recently lanky Marlene Breytenbach has come to the fore with an outstanding 800m performance in Pretoria which she followed up with a solid victory in the 1500 metres at Stellenbosch last Friday. The presence of the Phalula twins, Lebo and Lebogang, Mari-Louise Romijjn and another young promising athlete, Angela Wagner, will ensure that nobody can rest on their laurels.
In the men's sprints Leigh Julius will go all out to secure the title on his homeground while Geraldine Pillay should start as a favourite for the women's sprint title.
In the field events all eyes will be on big Janus Robberts who in Pretoria hurled the shot a massive 21,07m. In the women’s shot put young Simone du Toit has held her own in all competitions this season. She and Marli Knoetze are both capable of distances beyond 17 metres.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi will start as the out and out favourite in the 800 metres and will try to pull his training partner, Werner Botha, to a qualifying time.
The Championships start at 10:00 on Friday with the last event at 18:05 and will continue on Saturday from 10:00 to 17:30. The walking events will be held at 06:00 on Saturday morning.
source ASA |
