Mark Ouma for IAAF
2 February 2001 - Bloemfontein – South African hurdler Shaum Bownes and Namibia’s Agnes Samaria dominated their events at the third ABSA meeting in Bloemfontein.
Bownes must count himself unlucky after clipping the last two hurdles on the way to his 13.40 victory in the 110 metre hurdles. His missed his African record (13.39) by the narrowest of margins -a hundredth of a second.
"I am certain l would have run 13.1 or 13.2. It is just bad luck that l hit the last two hurdles. It upset my rhythm. Anyway I will come out again and break that record," said Bownes.
Looking ahead, he plans to improve the Africa 60 metres hurdles indoor record of 7.59 which he set last year in Karlsruhe, Germany last year.
"I am going to Europe for two weeks to get used to the indoor track before the World Indoor Championships. I am confident l can win a medal in Lisbon next month," said Bownes
Samaria continued her dominance of the 800 metres with an improved time of 2:04.52. World Youth Champion Zanele Grobler gave chase and finished second in a career best of 2:05.62. Also setting a personal best was third placed Marlene Breytenbach who clocked 2:06.57
For the third consecutive time in the series, Olympic 400 metre finalist Heide Seyerling pulled a double winning the 100m and 200m in 11.33 and 23.00 seconds respectively.
"After the long season leading up to the Sydney Olympics, l am taking my time before running the 400 metres. Competing in the shorter sprints is part of my plan to build speed for my main event," said Seyerling.
Nigerians Rita Onyebuchi and Shade Ogundemi set career best of 11.64 and 11.67 respectively. Onyebuchi went on to win the 400m in 54.49, while Ogundemi was third in 54.93.
"I think this is going to be a good season for me if l remain healthy. I want to run good times before the Nigerian National Championships in July and make the national team to the World Championships (in Edmonton)," said Onyebuchi.
"At last l am getting over the problem of frequent muscle injuries. "I have been suffering from a recurring hamstring injury from when l was based in Athens, Greece. It is very cold there at this time of the year, and my body is not used to the winter weather.
"Therefore coming out here gives me a chance to train and compete in warm weather. I want to make the Nigerian team to the World Championships, possibly in the 200 metres," said Ogundemi who last represented Nigeria at the Africa Championships in Dakar, Senegal in 1998.
Olympic bronze medallists Frantz Kruger and Llewellyn Herbert had victorious starts to their season. Kruger won the discus with a throw of 64.20m.
"My plan is to gradually break the 70 metre mark at the World Championships in August. I am looking forwards to some good competition next month when Olympic champions Virgilius Alekna and Canadian Olympic finalist Jason Tunks will compete in the Engen series," said Kruger.
Also looking forwards to the Engen series is Surita Febbraio who improved her career best in the 400 metre hurdles by a hundredth of a second. She won her event in 55.21 seconds. Kerryn van Zyl was a distant second in 58.45.
"At the moment l seem to be running alone as l have no serious challenge. I think l will break the 55 seconds barrier when we have the Engen series as athletes like Tatayana Tereschuk (Ukraine) will push the pace," said Febbraio who is a policewoman.
Dispelling rumours that he has a hamstring injury, Herbert was in his element starting the 400 metres at a relaxed pace, before surging with 120 metres to win the race in 49.50 seconds. The Czech Republic’s Stefan Tesarik was runner up in 49.66, while Alwyn Myburgh was third in 49.82.
Russia’s Dmitry Bogdanov won a tactical but slow men’s 800 metres in 1:50.04 minutes, as Eugene Ernest (Seychelles) won the high jump after clearing the bar at 2.15metres. The Czech Republic’s Stefan Janacek and Adam Ptacek dominated the men’s pole vault with and identical clearance of 5.45 metres. Janacek carried the day courtesy of a better count back on earlier failed attempts.
Russian discus thrower Valentina Ivanova (Russia) extended her winning streak in the series to three in the series courtesy of an 61.12 metre effort. All Africa Games bronze medallist, Elizna Naude 55.62 was runner up, ahead of compatriot Lizette Schoeman (47.48m)
All Africa Games silver medallist Lindy Leveau (Seychelles) won the women’s javelin in 50.91metres, whilst another All Africa Games bronze medallist Charlene Lawrence, who is returning to competition after a year plagued with injury, won the women’s long jump in 6.35metres.
Jopie van Oudtshoorn was back in winning form clocking 45.67 seconds in the men’s 400 metres. Marcus la Grange (46.00) and Arnaud Malherbe (46.41) where second and third respectively. Clearly in the form of his life, schoolteacher Felix Coetzee carried the day in the long jump with a leap of 7.99metres. Compatriot Martin Mc Clintoch was runner with a 7.80 effort, ahead of the Czech Republic’s Milan Kovar (7.69).
A strong tail wind of 2.9 metres per second racked havoc in the men’s 100 metres. Nonetheless Morne Nagel’s 10.15 victory is an indication that soft-spoken athlete from Pretoria will be a force to reckon with this season after a rather dismal showing last year.
World junior 200m champion Paul Gorries (10.22) edged compatriots Leroy Newton (10.27) and Bradley Agnew (10.28) to finish second.
Gorries was again runner up in the 200 metre in a season opener of 20.69. One again the race was won in a wind assisted (+2.9) by the Czech Republic’s Radek Zachoval (20.52). Zachoval remains unbeaten in the event after three outing during this series.
SELECTED RESULTS
Note all athletes are South Africans unless where mentioned
MEN
100 ‘A’ (+2.9)
1 Morne Nagel 10.15 2 Paul Gorries 10.22 3 Leroy Newton10.27
100m ‘B’
1 Godwin Tauya (Zimbabwe) 10.54 2 Innes Viviers 10.60 3 Johan Lodewyk 10.68
200m ‘A’ (+2.9)
1 Radek Zachoval (Czech Republic) 20.52 2 Paul Gorries 20.69 3 Bradley Agnew 21.03
200m ‘B’
1 Inner Viviers 21.26 2 Majala Masidi (Lesotho) 21.61 3 Richard Sharp 21.76
400m
1 Jopie van Oudtshoorn 45.67 2 Marcus la Grange 46.00 3 Arnaud Malherbe 46.41
110m Hurdles (-2.9)
1 Shaun Bownes 13.40 2 Tomas Dvorak (Czech Republic) 14.20 3 Stephen Hanekom 14.25
400m Hurdles
1 Llewellyn Herbert 49.50 2 Stefan Tesarik (Czech Republic) 49.66 3 Alwyn Myburgh 49.82
800m
1 Dmitry Bogdanov (Russia) 1:50.04 2 Isiah Nkuna 1:51.70 3 Wilson Kirwa (Finland) 1:52.52
3000m
1 Hendrik Ramaala 8:14.09 2 Enoch Skosana 8:14.82 3 Godfrey Khahohle 8:15.67
3000m Steeplechase
1 Mosie Manasse 9:18.32 2 Moses Faku 9:19.16 3 David Koloane 9:29.25
Long Jump
1 Felix Coetzee 7.99 2 Martin Mc Clintock 7.80 3 Milam Kovar (Czech Republic) 7.69
High Jump
1 Eugene Ernest (Sechelles) 2.15 2 Malcolm Hendricks 2.15 3 Jannie Botha 1.95
Triple Jump
1 Mkusela Marala 15.38 2 Johan Lodewyk 15.28 3 Heinrich Louren 15.10
Pole Vault
1 Stefan Janacek (Czech Republic) 5.45 2 Adam Ptacek (Czech Republic) 5.45 3 Jaco van
Vurren 5.10
WOMEN
100m (-2.3)
1 Heide Seyerling 11.33 2 Rita Onyebuchi (Nigeria) 11.64 PB 3 Shade Ogundemi (Nigeria)
11.69 PB
200m (+3.3)
1 Heide Seyerling 23.00 2 Carika Potgieter 24.45 3 Minette Alberte 24.58
400m
1 Rita Onyebuchi (Nigeria) 54.49 2 Elmie Hugo 54.73 3 Shade Ogundemi (Nigeria) 54.93
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febbraio 55.21 PB 2 Kerryn van Zyl 58.45 3 Dominique Koster 58.97
800m
1 Agnes Samaria (Namibia) 2:04.52 2 Zanele Grobler 2:05.52 3 Marlene Breytenbach 2:06.57
3000m
1 Rene Kalmer 9:35.84 2 Sibongile Ngcongwane 9:48.83 3 Lauren Brentano 10:0.15
Long Jump
1 Charlene Lawrence 6.35 2 Delia Visser 6.09 3 Ria Fourie 5.97
Javelin
1 Lindy Leveau (Seychelles) 50.91 2 Tanya Tesnar 48.99 3 Marna Dippenaar 46.36
Discus
1 Valentina Ivanova (Russia) 61.12 2 Elizna Naude 55.62 3 Lizette Schoeman 47.48
