Toti juniors shine in early season track events
Notable victories were also achieved in a number of other events by the club's athletes
AMANZIMTOTI Athletics Club juniors excelled over the last two weeks in the first two KZN athletics league meetings held at the Chatsworth track, despite extreme heat, and added windy conditions at league two.
More than 20 individual first positions were achieved over the two weekends, and the club’s juniors are dominating certain events.
It is a pity that times taken were not electronic but hand-times, which is problematic when team selections on performance levels have to take place later in the season.
Standout performances were achieved by Lee-anne Blake, who once again showed her class with three winning performances, one of which was an 800m win in a time of 2.14.09 in the senior women event in the second league event, in her first 800m race of the season. In the process she beat some illustrious senior competitors. The previous week she also ran a fast time of 4.43.34 by winning her 1500m race for U15 girls, despite only streaking away from her competitors after two laps. Hlengiwe Zuma also achieved a total of three first places in the 800m and 1,500m over the two weeks and surprised when she ran a great tactical race to win the 1500m U19 girls race at the first league meeting.
Among the sprinters, many personal best times were achieved, with Rishen Archary (U17 boys) and Dwayne Trollip (U19 boys) achieving three wins each. Rishen improved his best 200m time to an incredible 22.82 and his 400m to 50.91, brilliant times for a 15-year-old.
Dwayne ran his first sub 11 seconds and sub 22 seconds 200m races when he won these events in 10.90 and 21.81 respectively during the second league event. Not to be outdone, Anele Blake also won a total of three events and both U17 girls 200m events in the two leagues, with exciting come-from-behind performances against high-level competitors. Sesi Mbatha just continues to improve in the U15 girls category and blasted past her previous best sprinting times with bests of 12.33 (100m), 25.70 (200m) and 58.7 (400m) over the two weeks. Jurie Jansen van Vuuren achieved a fast 50.84 in winning his heat in the senior men’s 400m at the second league event.
Notable victories were also achieved in a number of other events by the club’s athletes. For example, Diaan Herbst achieved 1.70 metres to win the U17 boys event at the second league event. The club’s two masters track-and field competitors at these events also achieved good wins in their age groups, with Llewellyn van Onselen achieving a remarkable 2.17.87 in the 800m event at 49 years of age, and Riaan Vosloo running a fast 56.94 in the 400m at 40 years of age.
