Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) hosted the first track and field event since lockdown started at the Boksburg City Stadium on a scorching November 14.
The meeting was organised by the local athletics controlling body to help athletes regain their sharpness and to assist athletes in the country’s Olympic squad to prepare.
This was the first meeting of its kind to be held with no spectators after strict safety protocols were placed as per Athletics South Africa (ASA) and the government to regulate the effect of Covid-19.
Speaking of the event, CGA track and field chairperson Maggie Dicks, who was in attendance in Boksburg, said: “I must say, most of our athletes and coaches complied with the Covid-19 rules and protocols put in place, including the registration process for coaches to try and keep to numbers given by the government for safe returning to athletics competitions. Overall, we are glad the event went well.
Among the favourite races of the day was the senior women 3 000m event, which was combined with the u-19 girls’. Gene Coetzee took command of the race after the second lap, followed Cornelia Joubert, who was running steadily to close a gap of 100m between her and her rival. Coetzee proved to be the better runner, ending the race in a time of 10 minutes and 15 seconds.
“I have been training hard and doing a lot of strength work, and the results are paying off,” she said in a post-race interview.
“Today’s victory is just a test towards the preparations for 2021 ASA cross-country trials in January.”
Elsewhere, Heinrich Flooks of Kempton Park Athletics Club sprinted alone over the 110m hurdles distance in the boys’ u-19 category, aiming to complete the dash in less than 15 seconds. With the 2021 u-20 world championships to be held in Kenya in mind, which he is set to feature in, Flooks pulled through in a seemingly rusty performance to cross the line in 14.43 seconds.
Meanwhile, Mvuyo Moss’s star shined brighter in one of the biggest events in any athletics meeting: the men’s 100m. Moss, starring in an u-19 line-up, took the challenge to the heat to win in an impressive 10.72 seconds.
The last event of the day was the high jump for senior women, where UJ training partners Julia du Plessis and Mariette Botha went head-to-head. Du Plessis, who recently recovered from throat cancer, had seven attempts to finish second with a height of 1.55m. Meanwhile, on her eighth attempt, Botha excelled to overcome her rivals to finish on top after clearing a height of 1.60m.
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