Athletes to lace up for prize giving

AMANZIMTOTI Athletics Club athletes are reminded that prize-giving takes place on Saturday at Lords and Legends at 3pm.

There is no charge and light snacks will be provided food and refreshments can be ordered from the restaurant.

The prize-giving will be used to acknowledge the achievements reached by the club's athletes in road, cross country and track and field this year. The club has had some great running achievements in both the senior and junior section.

Mention must be made of Lee-Anne Blake's great year as an U13 athlete, breaking the 800m record for girls U14 in a new time of 2.13.40 at a national inter schools meeting in Bloemfontein. She also won the Durban leg of the Totalsports women's 5km race in 2013 and 2014, was the KZN clubs and schools U13 cross country champion selected for KZN teams five times during 2014.

In the primary sub youth inter-provincial held in Sasolburg on 22 November, Amanzimtoti AC had five athletes compete. Lee Ann Blake in the 800m and 1,500m for girls 13, Sesi Mbhatha in the 100m and 200m for girls 13, Gideon Stiglingh in the high jump boys 13, Kyle Pottinger in the 600m boys 9, Maya Pretorius in the turbo javelin girls 9.

All the athletes competed hard and gave it their all, however unfortunately only Lee-Anne medalled, with gold in the 800m and silver in the 1,500m. There was athletes from eight provinces competing, making the competition very difficult and of a very high standard. The club is proud of all its athletes and their achievements.

The club wishes best of luck to all athletes running the Sani Stagger on Saturday. The race starts at the border post and takes runners into Lesotho and up to the highest pub in Africa.

The tough 15km Mineshaft race was enjoyed by club members, who sported some sore quads and legs on Monday morning. This race is definitely not for the fainthearted.

The Christmas run at Westville AC is on 14 December. Give your name to Des van der Merwe if you plan to run this race.