JOHANNESBURG, Wednesday, 06 February 2008:  Reuben Ramolefi and Teboho Masehla can expect stiff competition in the 3000m steeplechase at the Yellow Pages Series III Meet set for Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Friday.

Competing in his first steeplechase race since the IAAF world championships in Osaka Japan, Ramolefi has a clear understanding of what he wants to achieve.  He reckons that his quest to break new grounds in this event this year hinges on a positive start.

 “My target is to open the season with a sub 8 minutes 30 seconds (8:30) performance. I have prepared well for this race. Tests carried out at Athletics South Africa (ASA) Training Camps  at the High Performance Centre (HPC)in Tshwane since October indicate that I am in the right form to achieve this basic goal,” says Ramolefi.

Ramolefi will renew acquaintance with his perennial rival Emmanuel Mkhabela.  Sivuyile Dlongwana and Anthony Godongwana are making a comeback to the forefront of steeplechase running. Virginia Ndulumana and Dewaine Mouries continue their quest to establish themselves among the best in the race on the national scene.

Meanwhile Teboho Masehla and Nolene Conrad renew their perennial quest for supremacy in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.  They have taken turns in breaking the national record with Masehla being the only athlete to have broken the ten minute barrier when she covered the distance in 9 minutes 55.17 seconds (9:55.17) when the Yellow Pages Series was staged in Stellenbosch last year.

“The Beijing Olympic qualifier is 9:55. Therefore nothing short of a national record effort will get me closer to an Olympic qualifier. The challenge before is quite clear. Either we improve the national record or miss out on the Olympics,” says Masehla.

“Perhaps the best aid we have had is the scientific evaluations during the ASA Training Camps at the (HPC). Although this will be a tough year, we are better prepared than ever before,” says Nolene Conrad.

Meanwhile, Africa and Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles champion Louis van Zyl (LJ) claims he is in fine form. He is determined to put to rest the unpleasant memory of his early exit at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka Japan last August.

“I made a bad mistake slowing down in the last ten metres of my first heat in Osaka. Come Friday I will be going all out to turn a new leaf.  Competing in Durban has a special place in my heart. It was at the Kings Park venue that I run 48.99 seconds from the outside lane to win the senior national championships title when I was only 17 years old. It is the best venue for me to make a clear break with the Osaka misfortunes,” says Van Zyl.

He faces a spirited challenge from Ockert Cilliers who prevailed in  Potchefstroom last week with an impressive 49.69 seconds.  All Africa Games bronze medallist Pieter de Viliers, along with the top two athletes at the World Student Games Pieter Koekemoer and Mozambique’s Kurt Couto complete the challenge Van Zyl faces in his quest for victory.

Elsewhere many athletes have produced their fastest 1500m times in Durban and Friday’s is bound to be no exception. After he prevailed in the sprint for the finish line in 800m in Potchefstroom, Samson Ngoepe starts as favourite. However the more experience Johan Cronje and the tenacious Juan van Deventer are bound to give him a run for his money. Perhaps the most important concern among them dips below 3 minutes 40 seconds barrier (3:40). Achieving this will raise their hopes of edging closer to the Olympic qualifier of 3:36.3.

After setting a career best in the short 100m in Potchefstroom, Estie Wittstock competes in her first 400m of the year. Zambia’s Rachel Nachula and 400m hurdler Janet Wienand will be her main challenger. “I have run the short 100 and 200m sprints in Secunda and Potchefstroom Yellow Pages Series to confirm my speed before I compete in my specialty event. My target is to run under 52 seconds,” says Wittstock.   

Encouraged by their unexpected victories in Potchefstroom, Ofentse Mogawane (400m) and Corne du Plessis (200m) are favourites to win again in Durban. However the youthful Kagiso Kumbane, Alwyn Myburgh, Sidwell Miti, Morne Nagel, and Alvin Samuels are expected to make that task far more difficult to achieve.

Several leading athletes make their first appearance in the Yellow Pages Series on Friday. These include Robert Oosthuizen (javelin), high jumpers Ramsay Carlse (men) and Anika Smith (women), long jumper Khotso Mokoena and Chayne Rahme (pole vault).

Prior to the eagerly anticipated meet, ASA will stage the Yellow Pages Durban Development Clinic from 2.30pm-4.00pm at the Kings Park Stadium. Leading athletes who will on hand to share their knowledge and experience are  Sherwin Vries, Lee-Roy Newton, Sergio Mullins,Pieter Koekemoer, Veronica Abrahamse, Ruben Ramolefi, Khotso Mokoena, Yaw Fosu-Amoah, Robert Oosthuizen, Lebo Phalula, Lebogang Phalula and Tebogo Masehla.

“It is a rare opportunity for school-going youths in the city to interact first hand with some of the country’s top athletes. Such face to face interaction with role models in the community has help young athletes solidify their commitment to the sports,” says Phiwe, ASA Events, Marketing and Communications manager.