Hurdlers stand out on day two of SA Athletics Championships

Zeney Geldenhuys earned her fifth national title and 30-year-old Sabelo Dhlamini claimed his first national crown on Friday, as 400m hurdles stole the show on the second day of competition at the SA Athletics Championships in Potchefstroom.

Geldenhuys, who reached the Olympic semifinals last year, had no trouble in the women’s one-lap final over the barriers, claiming victory in 55.09 seconds.

She finished well clear of 17-year-old Tumi Ramokgopa, who clocked 55.90 to dip under 56 seconds for the first time in her fledgling career.

“I’m very happy with first place and the time is not bad as well, so that means the sub-55 and sub-54 is coming closer with each race, and I’m very excited about that,” Geldenhuys said.

Dhlamini narrowly misses qualifier

Meanwhile, Dhlamini was equally dominant, completing the men’s final in 48.57, setting a personal best and missing the qualifying standard for this year’s World Athletics Championships by just 0.07.

Rising junior star Njabulo Mbatha took the runner-up spot in 49.28.

“I’ve been chasing this title for the last four years, and the first two times I was hitting hurdles and not even making it to the line properly… so when I saw the line with nobody next to me I thought ‘I’ve made it’, so I’m very happy,” Dhlamini said.

There was also a solid performance by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jovan van Vuuren, who landed at 8.00m to reclaim the national men’s long jump title he won in 2022.

Defending champion Cheswill Johnson earned the silver medal, just three centimetres back (7.97m), and former world champion Luvo Manyonga settled for sixth place, landing at 7.68m.

“After missing out on the national championships with an abdominal injury last year, bouncing back now and reclaiming my title is special,” Van Vuuren said.

Looking ahead

Plenty of excitement is expected on the third and final day of competition at the national championships, to be held on Sunday.

Thrilling battles are expected in the men’s 200m and 400m races, where experienced campaigners and exciting young prospects will lock horns over both distances.

With Gift Leotlela pulling up injured in his first-round 200m heat, Bayanda Walaza and Benji Richardson will turn out among the favourites in the half-lap race, while Zakithi Nene, Udeme Okon and Leendert Koekemoer (who set a national junior record of 45.03 seconds in the semifinals) will be the main contenders in the 400m event.

Other races which could have the crowd on its feet include the women’s 800m final, where world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso could be pushed hard by Charne Swart, and the men’s 5 000m final, which will see in-form distance runner Adriaan Wildschutt turning out in defence of his SA title.