Local young athletes set new records
New records were set by young athletes at recent sport event held at UJ Athletics Club.
The Bestmed Egoli Grand Prix was held on September 11 at the University of Johannesburg Athletics Club.
The event successfully brought together top young athletes from over 30 schools across Johannesburg for an exhilarating pre-season, friendly, multi-disciplinary sporting competition.
The event, which marked Bestmed’s first year as the title sponsor, not only showcased incredible athletic talent, but it also emphasised the deeper values of community and inclusivity.
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Among the schools which participated were Helpmekaar, King Edward VII, Hoërskool Monument, Randburg High, Hoërskool Noordheuwel, Hoërskool Dr Malan, Hoërskool Kempton Park and Florida High.
It resulted in thrilling competitions across various sporting disciplines.
“The Bestmed Egoli Grand Prix is a shining example of the incredible talent, determination and spirit of our youth.
By supporting events like this, we are not just investing in the future of South African athletics, but also strengthening communities,” said Karen Pienaar, sponsorship and CSI specialist at Bestmed Medical Scheme
The day was filled with excitement and marked by exceptional athletics achievements, with several schools setting personal and competition records.
Helpmekaar College’s Jan-Hendrik Heymans set a new event record in the javelin for boys U17 with a throw of 73.12m.
His teammate, Hanro van den Berg, won the U16 javelin with a throw of 60.19m.
Dr Malan’s Darius Botha excelled in shot put with an effort of 17.90m and a discus event throw of 53.79m for boys U14.
King Edward VII’s, Chinedu Amadi, took gold in the shot put for boys U17 with an effort of 17.45m and Joshua Wilkinson setting the long jump record for boys U16 with a 7.07m leap.
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The track events also saw some incredible highlights, with Jeppe’s, Kgoputso Manaleng, setting a new record in the 100m hurdles for boys U15 at 12.54 seconds, while Mukona Manavhela claimed gold in the U16 200m (21.35 seconds) and 100m (10.51 seconds).
Event organisers hailed the Bestmed Egoli Grand Prix as a major success, citing that there is hope that this friendly could be an annual fixture on the athletics calendar.
“This event has highlighted the incredible potential of our young athletes. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing this friendly grow even bigger next year,” said Tyler Hollingsworth, event organiser and director at Sable International.
