Young Northerns sprinter going for more after last year’s heroics

Despite all he had obtained during the provincial track and field season, Logan Oosthuizen still feels there is more to be achieved.

The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club star sprinter started the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) sub-youth track and field season in October, determined to write his name as one of the province’s leading sprinters in his age group.

Focused but with an eye for the bigger picture, Oosthuizen achieved his aim phenomenally, dominating the CGA league meetings from the onset in the 200m and 100m dashes, while also adding a silver (100m) and gold (200m) at the provincial championships, posting 11.59 seconds in the 100m and 23.24 seconds in the 200m finals.

Although it was a dream season on the CGA circuit for the youngster, it was at the interprovincials where he produced his best performance, even achieving a personal milestone in the 100m.

Surrounded by the country’s best young talent at the start of the U13 100m final, including CGA teammate Ehirim Chibunna, who broke the 100m national record, Oosthuizen took off spectacularly to clock a PB of 11.44, as he crossed the line behind Chibunna, making it a CGA top two.

With a personal milestone of 22.60 in the 200m achieved at CGA’s second league meet, he finished under 23 seconds for the second time this season as he crossed the line in second place, again behind Chibunna, in 22.96 seconds for his second silver medal at the event.

With this, he became the second fastest sprinter in his category in the 100m and 200m in the country.

“I had a mix of emotions. I was nervous and excited. I had been training hard, so I was very hopeful about winning. I feel proud of this achievement because I was competing against some of the best athletes in the country,” he said.

The youngster explained he hopes to one day replicate this form at the World Athletics track and field championships in the colours of South Africa and hopefully bring a medal, which South Africa had not won since London 2017.

His eyes are set on representing the country on the grandest stage of all – the Olympic Games.

“There were lots of highs and some lows and a lot of training, but I love sprinting, and enjoyed the season. One of my goals is to compete at the Olympics,” said Oosthuizen.

He stated he would not have achieved this without his coach, Michael van Aswegen, saying, “Coach Michael is a great coach and is always pushing me to be the best version of myself. I enjoy training with him”.

While he took a step up last year, his ambition is to take it a step further this year and maybe with Van Aswegen still at the wheel, he might transition into a prolific senior sprinter ready to win South Africa a 100m Olympics gold.

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