After tough season, athletes qualify for nationals

They participated, dominated and are now heading to the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Youth and Junior Track and Field Championships in Pietermaritzburg from March 23.

After a tough Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) track and field season, which included five league meetings and culminated in the provincial championships on March 10 and 11, the local athletes were rewarded with a prize every competitor their age aspires to achieve.

The season began in the scorching heat of January and dragged through the last summer downpours in early February. For the seven athletes from Boksburg and Benoni, their short trips to the Germiston Stadium were worth it.

They are now set to test themselves against the country’s emerging talents from 16 other affiliated ASA members on the 400m synthetic track and lush green field of the Msunduzi Athletics Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

The nationals are the pinnacle of the track and field season.

It’s where the talents of track sensation Kiera Fouche from the Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC), the field prospect Fabio de Klerk, also from the BAC and the middle-distance specialist Kaitlyn Mackay from the Benoni High Athletic Club (BHAC) are going to be unleashed.

Boksburg Athletic Club

The 18-year-old De Klerk booked his spot at the provincials with a 60.94m javelin throw, which earned him a gold medal in the men’s U20 category.

Fouche, an adept sprinter, will participate in the women’s U18 100m. Hurdler Tobi Mosweu earned her spot in the team after a third-place finish in the women’s U18 100m hurdles.

Benoni High Athletic Club

Mackay, on the podium four times this season, was among the top performers in the middle-distance competitions.

The 13-year-old clocked 11:01:51 to clinch a silver medal in the girls’ U16 seven-lap 3000m event, while teammate Camryn de Meyer booked her place in the CGA following a second-place finish in the women’s U18 800m race.

Kevin Hickley qualified for the men’s U20 1500m and 3000m.

Benoni Northerns Athletic Club

Benoni High School’s Moetlo Sefoka claimed a silver medal in the boys’ U16 high jump to seal his place in the team while his teammate, steeplechaser Jade Doran, qualified for the girls’ U16 steeplechase.

According to the CGA, the athletes met the criteria for a qualification, which stipulated that they must participate in three league meetings and also run the ASA standard qualifying times.

“The CGA congratulates all athletes and coaches from the clubs selected to represent the province at the championships in Pietermaritzburg,” said CGA GM Mandla Radebe.

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