BNAC’s Botha dominates category at CGA league
She won the U11 girls' 3km race in 15:11 and was second overall.
The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) junior runner Kayla Botha produced an incredible performance to win the U11 girls’ 3km race during the fifth CGA cross-country league meeting at Marivate Park on June 22.
The youngster was in fine form and incredibly stayed behind race leader, Kgomotso Pholoanyane of Fitness For Africa (FFA), who won the U12 category, to finish second overall and first in the U11 category in a time of 15:11.
The BNAC enjoyed a successful outing on the day with Chelsea van Dyk, Siyanda Madlabane and Bokamoso Nonyane at their absolute best after obliterating the field in their categories.
It wasn’t a total shock when the trio dominated their events. They led from the gun to tape, continuing their sublime form since the start of the season in April.
They haven’t dropped a single event in all the leagues they have participated in and on Saturday, they laid down the marker to their challengers that they have to work hard to dethrone them.
In the opening race of the day, Van Dyk set the tone for the rest of the athletes when she effortlessly won the girls’ U13 3km in 13:21.
She got out of the blocks with her usual stride and was led from the first turn. After 1km, Boipelo Maroga of Masai stayed with Van Dyk but faded at the halfway mark, allowing the national champion to race alone from that point.
Maroga came in second 18 seconds later and Zanele Mzizi rounded up the podium in 14:23.
Despite challenges from Simunye AC’s Neo Nkeane (14:22) and Sanele Mjale (14:49) from Cool Running, Madlabane comfortably won the U13 boys’ 4km race.
He led the race from the start and such was his dominance that after falling mid-way through the last lap, he had time to remove a splinter under his foot before striding to victory in 13:59 for his fifth win of the season.
Madlabane’s teammate Thabiso Ntombela finished fourth in 14:49.
Nonyane won the U10 boys’ 2km event in 07:17 while his teammate Bajamile Malibe finished in fifth place in 07:45. Kaden Price (08:35) was fifth in the U11 category.
In the U12 boys’ 3km race, Zandreh van der Merwe finished in second place in 11:02, behind the dominant Indiphile Myeki from Katlehong AC, who won in 10:40.
Samukelo Msibi (14:30) and Kwalulele Shuping (14:35) were second and third in the boys’ U14 4km race while Dominique Broughton (04:48) was second in the U8 girls’ 1km and Olwethu Ntombela grabbed the second spot in the U9 (08:56) category.
Azelia Zitha of hosts, East Athletic Club (EAC) was second in the girls’ U17 4km in 16:07 and Dineo Nzuza (05:12) third in the U8 1km.
Gift Nkosi (24:16) finished second in the junior women’s 6km race while the Benoni High Athletic Club (BHAC)’s Bronwyn Nel (24:46) was fourth in the same race.
Avuma Pheza (27:39) of the EAC was second in the junior men’s 8km and Kate van Jaarsveld won the sub-veteran women’s 4km race in 15:46.
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