Athletics Central North West (ACNW) can put numerous feathers in their cap after hosting a highly successful ASA Senior Track and Field Championships from 30 March – 1 April at the NWU McArthur Athletics Stadium.
The championships delivered from start to finish with numerous top national athletes stamping their authority across three days of exciting action. The championships also scored highly on the World Athletics rankings and is currently in second place in terms of the best athletics events in 2023.
One of the highlights of the championships was the return to form of Wayde van Niekerk (Boland). The 400m world record holder, won his fifth SA title in a superb time of 44.17 seconds.
Hosts, ACNW also showed fight taking third place overall on the medals table with a total of 26 medals (6 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze). Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) cruised to first place with 50 medals (21 gold, 11 silver and 18 bronze). Boland took second with 8 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Photos: Barco Greeff
ACNW will feel proud of their effort as they beat a strong Central Gauteng Athletics team who had to settle for fourth place.
Jo-Ané van Dyk, Waldouw Smit, Valco van Wyk, Jessica Groenewald, Burger Lamprechts and the women’s 4x100m relay team consisting of Tazmin Thomas, Amiel Rothmann, Sandri van Rooyen and Rose Xeyi all won gold at the championships in front of an appreciate home crowd.
SA champions, Akani Simbine (100m), Carina Horn (100m) and Leandri Geel (hammer throw) with a new record heave of 65.18 metres, all starred for Central Gauteng Athletics.
AGN was once again on top of the pile with Armand van der Walt (200m), Zeney van der Walt (400m hurdles) and Prudence Sekgodiso (800m) being some of the standouts from the winning province.
Other top performances included gold for former NWU and now Free State star, Tshepang Makhethe (hammer throw) as well as 110m specialist Antonio Alkana of Western Province, who took his 8th national title.
ACNW medalists
Gold:
Jo-Ané van Dyk: Women’s javelin – 60.97m
Waldouw Smit: Men’s javelin – 74.59m
Valco van Wyk: Men’s pole vault – 5.20m
Jessica Groenewald: Women’s 20km walk – 1:53:22
Burger Lamprechts: Men’s shotput – 20.30m
Women’s 4x100m relay team – 45.50 seconds
Silver:
Lee-Ann Marx: Women’s u.120 Heptathlon – 4683 points
Tamzin Thomas: Women’s 100m – 11.58 seconds
Tamzin Thomas: Women’s 200m – 23.41 seconds
Karmen Fouché: Women’s long jump – 6.25 metres.
Benjamin Richardson: Men’s 100m – 10.45 seconds
Johann Grobler: Men’s Javelin – 73.52 m
Alan Cumming: Men’s hammer throw – 68.03
Marga Cumming: Women’s hammer throw – 60.60
Janise Nell: Women’s 20km walk – 1:57:32
4x400m mixed relay
4x100m men’s relay
Welré Olivier: Men’s Triple jump – 16.91m
Bronze:
Leonard van Rhyn: Men’s u.18 – Decathlon – 4277 points
Ian Slinger: Men’s 10 000m – 30:31.05
Arend Pretorius: Men’s pole vault – 4.60 m
Rogail Joseph: Women’s 400m hurdles – 56.39 seconds.
Antonio Farmer: Men’s 20km walk – 1:35:56.
Annette Koen: Women’s 20km walk – 1:59:58.
DJ Liebenberg: Men’s shot put – 17.46m
Tumisang Monnatlala: Men’s 3000m steeplechase – 09:14.89.
