Strong showing by BAC youngsters at inter-provincials
Lihan Borman and Anika van Niekerk were the top performers after they both obtained silver medals.
Boksburg Athletic Club’s young athletes held their own with top performances at the ASA sub-youth inter-provincial championships at Pilditch Stadium on November 26.
Out of the club’s nine athletes representing Central Gauteng Athletics, four returned home with medals. Lihan Borman and Anika van Niekerk were the top performers after they both obtained silver medals.
Lihan secured his medal in the Boys’ U7 80m event, storming to the finish in 12:32 seconds to finish second behind Josua van Staden from Athletics Gauteng North.
Anika was second in the girls’ U11 high jump with a leap of 1.40m to land a podium finish behind her record-breaking teammate Mila Pearson who leapt to a massive 1.52m to set a new record in the event.
The club’s Strauss Anzaret returned with two bronze medals in the girls’ U11 80m and long jump respectively. The 11-year-old crossed the finish in 10.99 seconds in the 80m sprint and jumped 4.44m in the long jump to finish third in both events.
Wiane Louw also added her name to the medal list with a third-place finish in the girls’ U13 high jump.
CGA had sent a strong contingent of 123 athletes and in a display of dominance, the province led the medal charts with a total of 50 medals.
They collected 18 golds, 19 silvers and 13 bronze medals.
The organisation’s general manager, Mandla Radebe, said they are elated with how the province performed.
“Based on the great performances, we are certain as a province that the future is bright.
“This age group is very important to determine and measure our progress of various development programmes within the province.
Radebe said they will start a programme to monitor the athletes and ensure they are still in the system when they leave primary schools.
“We will be developing a system to trace these athletes in the next four to eight years to ensure that we retain them in athletics, but most importantly ensure that they continue to compete at high-level athletics championships,” Radebe concluded.
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