Ockert Cilliers (RSA) leads in the 400m Hurdles in Potchefstroom (© Mark Ouma)
Chris Harmse and Ockert Cilliers set more than impressive "A" standard qualification marks for the Olympics at the second ABSA series meeting on a chilly night on Friday (13 Feb).
Harmse nearing his African record
Stamping his authority on his first appearance in the ABSA series, Harmse registered a 79.86m effort with his second attempt, to win the men's Hammer. He bettered the previous ABSA series record (78.08) set by Frenchman David Chaussinand three years ago. Italy's reigning Olympic silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni (76.22) was the runner up. Rudolf Venter (62.49) was a distant third.
"I attribute my performance to the training stint in Szombathely, Hungary (IAAF Accredited Training Centre) last July and August. There I learnt a lot under coach Pal Nemeth, (the father of Zsolt Nemeth the silver medallist at 1999 World Championships in Seville)."
"There are new training techniques I have adopted. In fact at this stage of the year I should be throwing distances of 72 metres. Hopefully I will better my African record (80.19) by the end of our domestic season. I am excited about the way what will happen when I go to Europe," said Harmse.
Cilliers improves personal best - outstanding quality and depth in South African 400m Hurdling
Later on, Ockert Cilliers held off a spirited challenge from Alwyn Myburgh to win the 400 metres Hurdles, the meet's blue ribbon event. In the process Cilliers improved his career best by 0.14 to 48.47. Myburgh (48.84) was followed by teenager Wouter le Roux (49.81), Hennie Botha (50.04), Martin Willemse (50.78), Francois Malan (50.78), Joseph Bungei (Kenya) 50.98, and Marus Krtizinger (51.00) in that order. Germany's Thomas Goller won the B race with a decent time of 50.64.
"I have not set any targets in terms of time for this year," said Cilliers. "All I am doing is keeping competing and hoping the times will get faster. I am looking forward to my race with Llewellyn Herbert (Olympic bronze medallist) in Pretoria next week. It will be a hell of a race as Pretoria is his turf where he has a strong following," confirmed Cilliers.
Herbert, Myburgh, and Cilliers should be wary of a rather quiet Louis van Zyl, the World Junior champion. The 18 year-old's strong finish saw him win the senior national championship title last year. Although sixth in the 200m, Van Zyl clocked a career best of 21.33, which was also a qualifying time for the World Junior Championships in this event.
Such is the depth of quality in the 400m Hurdles that to make the Olympic team, the hurdlers may have to dip below 48 second at the South African Olympic trials. The writing seems to be on the wall for Llewellyn Herbert's national record of 47.81, which may not last beyond April.
Leigh Julius has sights on World Junior championships
The double World Student Games medallist Leigh Julius signalled his intention to excel at the World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy, with two qualifying performances.
In 100m Julius (10.42) upstaged the fancied Sherwin Vries
(10.44) and Lee-Roy Newton (10.50). Julius (20.69) also snatched the 200m victory from Norwegian John Ertzgaard (20.76) in the last five metres. Sergio Mullins 20.96 was third. Last week in Secunda, Julius improved his career best in 400m by 0.05 with a 46.59 effort.
"Italy will be the last chance for me to compete as a junior and I want to give it my best shot, I am not thinking about the Olympics right now," says Julius.
Other notable performances...
South Africa's budding 3000m steeplechase athlete Reuben Ramolefi improved his 3000m career best by over 22 seconds with a winning time of 8:09.78. Shaun Bownes (13.56) won the 110 Hurdles, as World champion Hestrie Cloete (1.90) easily won the women's High Jump.
Estonian Mirjam Liimask (13.69) maintained her winning form
in 100m Hurdles, while shot putter Burger Lambrechts
(19.25) remains undefeated in the series.
Marcus la Grange (45.83) won the 400m A heat, while
Lesotho's Mojafelo Mosili (47.02) was winner in the B race. Following a five year break, Adri Schoeman returned to her 400m specialty with a winning time of 53.51. "All I want to do is qualify for the Olympics," she said.
Italy's Andrea longo (1:46.59) surged on the home straight to win the men's 800m. Olympian Werner Botha (1:47.27) was second. Bonolo Maboa (18) improved his career best by 0.84 seconds when he clocked 1:47.35 to take third place. The trio have reason to thank pacesetter Samuel Sepeng who covered the first lap in 51.5 seconds before bailing out.
SELECTED RESULTS
Note: All athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned
MEN
100m A (+0.7)
1 Leigh Julius 10.43
2 Sherwin Vries 10.44
3 Lee-Roy Newton 10.50
100m B (0.0)
1 Snyman Prinsloo 10.59
2 Malcolm Thonga 10.69
3 Hannes Dreyer 10.76
100m C (-0.4)
1 Liam de Weerd 10.78
2 Michael Koch 10.84
3 Nkuteko Shivanda 10.88
200m A (+0.8)
1 Leigh Julius 20.69
2 John Ertzgaard (Norway) 20.76
3 Sergio Mullins 20.96
200m B (0.0)
1 Sylvester Abrahams 21.56
2 Brian Maphanga 21.58
3 Nkuteko Shivanda 21.73
400m A
1 Marcus la Grange 45.83
2 Arnaud Malherbe 46.19
3 Hendrick Mokganyetsi 47.22
4 Christian Birk (Norway) 47.36
400m B
1 Mojafelo Mosili (Lesotho) 47.02
2 Kabelo Moeng 47.87
3 Christo Batisita 49.08
110m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Shaun Bownes 13.56
2 Frikke van Zyl 13.89
3 Riaan Snyman 14.20
400m hurdles A
1 Ockert Cillers 48.47
2 Alwyn Myburgh 48.84
3 Wouter le Roux 49.81
4 Hennie Botha 50.04
5 Martin Willemse 50.78
6 Francois Malan 50.78
7 Joseph Bungei (Kenya) 50.98
8 Marus Krtizinger 51.00
400m hurdles B
1 Thomas Goller (Germany) 50.64
2 Renier Meintjies 53.37
3 Christo taljaard 53.42
800m A
1 Andrea Olongo (Italy) 1:46.59
2 Werner Botha 1:47.27
3 Bonolo Maboa 1:47.35
800m B
1 Johnny Shuping 1:50.05
2 Mtobisi Baloyi 1:50.47
3 Theunis Holl 1:51.31
3000m A
1 Reuben Ramolefi 8:09.78
2 Jac Steenekamp 8:09.98
3 Frank Lekwi 8:12.44 PB
3000m B
1 Joel Mazibuko 8:21.8
2 Nkululeko Zamisa 8:22.7
3 Piet Makhakha 8.28.1
Long Jump
1 Yaw Fosu-Amoah 7.66
2 Martin McClintock 7.61
3 Khotso Mokoena 7.60
Javelin
1 Hardus Pienaar 73.76
2 Gerbrandt Grobler 71.87
3 Brian Erasmus 71.42
Shot Put
1 Burger Lambrechts 19.25
2 Roelie Potgieter 18.20
3 Berne van der Berg 17.07
Hammer
1 Chris Harmse 79.86
2 Nicola Vizzoni (Italy) 76.22
3 Rudolf Venter 62.49
4x 400m Relay
1 South Africa 3:06:15
2 South Africa 3:07.00
3 Protein Vitamin Mineral Club 3:26.35
WOMEN
100m A (0.0)
1 Geraldine Pillay 11.55
2 Marilia Gregoriou (Greece) 11.59
3 Estie Wittstock 11.63
100m B (-0.6)
1 Minette Albertse 12.06
2 Margurite Venter 12.44
3 Thandi Mngwevu 12.45
200m A (+1.0)
1 Heide Seyerling-Quinn 23.23
2 Estie Wittstock 23.31
3 Dikeledi Moropane 24.16
200m B (0.0)
1 Margurite Venter 24.90
2 Carla Fick 25.09
3 Thandi mngwevu 25.31
400m A
1 Adri Schoeman 53.51
2 Carika Potgieter 54.96
3 Elmie Hugo 55.43
400m B
1 Lezel Pretorius 56.49
2 Janet Wienand 57.18
3 Jelome Muller 58.18
100m Hurdles
1 Mirjam Liimask (Estonia) 13.69
2 Sune Labuschagne 14.02
3 Justine Robbeson 14.08
800m
1 Mari-Louise Henning 2:06.54
2 Tina Paulino (Mozambique) 2:07.02
3 Claudia York 2:09.87
1500m
1 Rene Kalmer 4:19.57
2 Lebogang Phalula 4:23.49 PB
3 Lebo Phalula 4:23.94 PB
High Jump
1 Hestrie Cloete 1.90
2 Dianne Wondergam 1.75
3 Anita Smit 1.75
Javelin
1 Sunette Viljoen 56.94
2 Linda Smit 41.35
3 Elizna Labuschagne 38.26
4x 400m Relay
1 South Africa 3:45.39
2 Rands Afrikaans University 3:56.01
