Central Gauteng Athletics selected a very strong team that represented the province exceptionally well this past weekend at the National Youth and Junior (U16/18/20) Championships held in Pietermaritzburg. The team secured a silver position in team medals table bringing back to the province a total number of 58 medals, with 26 gold medals, 17 silver medals and 15 bronze medals.
Overall our athletes delivered outstanding performances, one of the spectacular showpiece has to be Johannes Morepe who claimed 2 gold medals at the championships. Morepe who is in form competed the under 20 1500m and 3000m event clocking 03:44.47 and 08:19.99 respectively. The 3000m podium was dominated by CGA claiming all 3 podium medals with Corn De Fouw taking the silver and Jayde Roslee settling for the bronze medal. Roslee also doubled up with a gold medal in the 5000m event and a bronze medal in the 3000m to take home 2 national medals for the province.
Oluchi Ndubueze, a CGA athlete with so much love for what she does on the track did not disappoint as she gave an excellent dash in the girls U16 100m race. The hardworking and humble Oluchi was crowned national champion for the 1st time in her athletics career at the National Championships stage, after dominating the sub youth age category in previous years. As the province we are expecting a lot from this raising star in athletics.
Another upcoming star to look at for has to be Chemen Mentz who broke her personal best time from 04:43 to 04:30 at the championships in the girls u16 1500m event to be crowned national champion. In a post interview by Supersport, Mentz said it has not being easy getting to the point she is at but she is really grateful for her achievement at the championships.
In the Men U 18 400m event, LEENDERT KOEKEMOER clocked 0:46.38, Koekemoer had the crowd up and cheering on the grandstands with his exceptional performance to secure himself a gold position on the national podium.
CGA beyond any reasonable doubt produces quality athletes including race walkers who contributed to the medal table with 3 gold medals. The Race Walkers that were growned national champion’s where Yamkela Shosha in the Men U18 10km walk event and Lesedi Mphelane in Boys U16 5km event and Lee Nyathi in Women U18 10km event.
Ntokozo Gumede outclassed her opponents to be the new 5000m National Champion delivering a great run which she was determined to make the province proud to bring the gold medal home clocking 18:20:26.
In the field events CGA athletes also showcased great talent, we saw JL Van Rensburg deliver a great throw in the Men U20 Shotput event with a distance of 18.97. Another exciting jump has to be the Women U20 triple jump event where we bagged an additional gold medal through the performance of Lu-Rika Herlberg.
CGA President Mr. Steven Khanyile who was in attendance at the championships proudly watched CGA athletes perform well and flying the provincial flag up high. In the post championships interview, CGA President congratulated all the medal winners and athletes who took part at the championships including the support of coaches, parents and team management.
Central Gauteng Athletics is definitely a province to look out for with lots of potential and quality upcoming athletics stars. The future of the province is definitely bright.
Central Gauteng Athletics
Track and Field Commission
Office Phone: 011 873 2726
Email: media@centralgautengathletics.co.za
Twitter: @CG_Athletics
Facebook: Central Gauteng Athletics
