Caster Semenya
30 May – Caster Semenya, along with 75 other athletes, has been selected to represent South Africa at the CAA Africa Senior Championships in Porto Novo, Benin from 27 June – 1 July 2012.
Semenya, the 2011 World Championships 800m silver medallist, has already qualified for the Olympic Games and needs to compete at the Championships as part of the selection criteria agreed on with SASCOC. (Full criteria and exceptions are available on the Athletics South Africa website). On 5 April, Semenya broke the 2min barrier for the first time on South African soil since Zelda Pretorius ran 1:58.85 in 1991, clocking 1:59.60, her best this season. Semenya has only represented South Africa at one Africa Championships in 2009 as junior athlete in Bambous, Mauritius.
Also in the team is World Championship 400m hurdles bronze Medallist, LJ van Zyl. The 26-year-old from Gauteng North became the first track and field athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games on 5 April. Van Zyl will be looking to win his 4th straight African title in Benin after winning in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
2008 Olympic silver medallist, Khotso Mokoena will also be looking at defending his title at the Africa Championships in the men’s long jump. After losing his National Title in windy conditions in Port Elizabeth, Mokoena bounced back and reached the Olympic Qualifying A-standard at the Yellow Pages III meeting in Pretoria on 20 April with a leap of 8.29m. Mokoena recently competed at the Diamond League in Doha on 11 May, finishing second with 8.10m.
Sunette Viljoen currently holds the Africa and South African record in the women’s javelin throw and has also qualified for the Olympic Games. The 29-year-old will be competing at her fifth Africa Championships this year and with her brilliant track record (gold in 2004, 2008, 2010 and silver in 2006). The reigning champion won bronze in Daegu at the World Championships in September 2011 with 68.38m. Her best this season is 61.84m in Ostrava on 25 May.
Please see the full team below:
MALES
|
NUMBER |
NAME |
EVENT |
| Simon Magakwe (CNW) | 100m, 200m | |
| Roscoe Engel (WPA) | 100m | |
| Hannes Dreyer (AGN) | 100m | |
| Anaso Jobodwana (BORA) | 200m | |
| Thuso Mpuang (AFS) | 200m | |
| Lebogang Moeng (ANWN) | 400m | |
| Oscar Pistorius (AGN) | 400m | |
| Ofentse Mogawane (ANWN) | 400m | |
| Andre Olivier (CNW) | 800m | |
| Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (CGA) | 800m | |
| Rynhardt van Rensburg (AFS) | 800m | |
| Johan Cronje (AFS) | 1500m | |
| Juan van Deventer (CGA) | 1500m | |
| Peter van der Westhuizen (CGA) | 1500m | |
| Gladwin Mzazi (AGN) | 5000m | |
| Elroy Gelant (CNW) | 5000m | |
| Stephen Mokoka (AGN) | 10 000m | |
| Ruben Ramolefi (ANWC) | 3000m St | |
| Tumelo Motlagale (CNW) | 3000m St | |
| Junior Mkhatini (CGA) | 110mH | |
| Ruan de Vries (AGN) | 110mH | |
| Lehann Fourie (AGN) | 110mH | |
| PC Beneke (AGN) | 400m H | |
| LJ van Zyl (AGN) | 400m H | |
| Eben Beukes (CGA) | PV | |
| Heinrich Smit (WPA) | PV | |
| Ruan van Wyk (BOLA) | PV | |
| Ruan Claasen (CGA) | HJ | |
| Hubert de Beer (AGN) | HJ | |
| Khotso Mokoena (AGN) | LJ | |
| Zarck Visser (CGA) | LJ | |
| Thumelo Thagane (CNW) | TJ | |
| Burger Lambrechts (AGN) | SP | |
| Orazio Cremona (AGN) | SP | |
| Jaco Engelbrecht (CGA) | SP | |
| Victor Hogan(AFS) | DT | |
| Russel Tucker (AGN) | DT | |
| Donovan Snyman (CGA) | DT | |
| Chris Harmse (AFS) | HT | |
| Jason Henning (CNW) | JT | |
| Robert Oosthuizen (BOLA) | JT | |
| Bernard Crause (CNW) | JT | |
| Zavion Kotze (CGA) | Dec | |
| Willem Coertzen (CNW) | Dec | |
| Nardus Greyling | Dec | |
| Marc Mundell (AGN) | 20km Walk | |
| 4x100m | ||
| 4x400m |
FEMALES
| Tsholofelo Thipe (CNW) | 200m, 400m | |
| Rorisang Ramonye (CNW) | 400m | |
| Estie Wittstock (AGN) | 400m | |
| Caster Semenya (AGN) | 800m | |
| Mandie Brandt (CGA) | 800m | |
| Mapaseka Makhanya (CGA) | 800m, 1500m | |
| Lebogang Phalula (CGA) | 1500m | |
| Lebo Phalula (CGA) | 1500m | |
| Rene Kalmer (CGA) | 5000m | |
| Noleen Conrad (CGA) | 3000m St | |
| Claudia Viljoen (AGN) | 100m H | |
| Ansulet Potgieter (AFS) | 100m H | |
| Wenda Theron (AGN) | 400m H | |
| Janet Lawless (BOLA) | 400m H | |
| Anneri Ebersohn (AGN) | 400mH | |
| Deone Joubert (AGN) | PV | |
| Jeannie van Dyk (EPA) | PV | |
| Juanita Stander (WPA) | PV | |
| Anika Smit (CNW) | HJ | |
| Bianca Erwee (CNW) | HJ | |
| Patience Ntshingila (CNW) | LJ, TJ | |
| Janice Josephs (BOLA) | LJ | |
| Lynique Prinsloo (AGN) | LJ | |
| Charlene Potgieter (AGN) | TJ | |
| Sonia Smuts (AGN) | SP | |
| Elizna Naude (AGN) | DT | |
| Maryke Oberholzer (AGN) | DT | |
| Annemie Smith (ASWD) | HT | |
| Sunette Viljoen (ACNW) | JT | |
| Gerlize de Klerk (ACNW) | JT | |
| 4x100m | ||
| 4x400m |
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