JOHANNESBURG, Wednesday, 06 February 2008: South Africa’s preparation for the World Cross Country Championships enters a crucial stage when some of South Africa’s leading cross country athletes compete at the 34th Janmeda International Cross Country Championships in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Sunday.
The annual event is coupled with the Ethiopia National Cross country Championships, and serves as Ethiopia’s trials to select their team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh Scotland on March 30.
“This is the kind of competition I need to prove that I can hold my own against the best cross country runners in the world. As I focus my training for the world Championships, this race is a brilliant test run before the World Championships,” say Boy Soke, who hails from the Free State.
The two-time SA Senior Men’s Cross country Champion will also be defending his senior men title at the Southern Africa Region Championships in Lusaka Zambia on February 23. Other athletes scheduled to compete in the senior men’s 12km in Addis Ababa are Stephen Mokoka (Athletics Vaal Triangle), Tshamano Setone (Central Gauteng Athletics), and Siyabobnga Nkonde (KwaZulu Natal Athletics).
Marlise Nicolette Retiefi (Gauteng North), Ledile Violet Raseboya and Nicoleen van Rooyen, both from Central Gauteng, will be vying for success in the women’s 8km. Those set for the Junior men’s 8km race are Senzo Mandla Nkosi (KwaZulu Natal), Sityhilo Diko (Transkei), Enoch Manyandi (Central Gauteng) and Khuthatso Voight Mokone (Free State). While Nandipha Patience Dywili and Pono Selina Mofokeng wil sweat it out inthe junior women’s 6km. Both athletes are from Transkei and Vaal Triangle respectively.
Over the years Ethiopia has welcomed the participation of athletes from other countries at the Janmeda Championship. Several countries are set to test their athletes ahead of the Eastern Africa Regional Cross country Championships in Arusha Tanzania on February 24. While a day earlier the South Africans will be in Lusaka, Zambia for the Southern Region Cross country Championships.
“This gives our athletes the opportunity to gauge their abilities against the best in the business. For over thirty years, Eastern Africa accounts for the bulk of the top twenty finishers in each race at the annual World Cross country Championships,” says Molatelo Malehopo, ASA Development Manager.
“We expect our athletes to show character. If they can give a decent account of themselves in Addis Ababa, then we can expect them to be competitive at the World Cross country Championships next month,” Malehopo explains.
