Okkert Cilliers wins the 400m Hurdles in Tswane, South Africa (© Mark Ouma)
Overcoming adverse weather conditions Ockert Cilliers maintained his winning streak in the 400 metres Hurdles at the ABSA Series meeting at the Kings Park Athletics Stadium in South Africa’s port city of eThekwini on Friday (7 March).
Bouts of pouring rain interspersed with a strong head wind contrived to limit most athletes from realising their full potential at the meeting. While the men’s Pole Vault and the relays (both men and women) where cancelled due to the conditions.
Cillers reconfirmed that he is South Africa’s athlete of the moment style in 48.76 seconds. While Alwyn Myburgh (49.50) was runner up, Olympic bronze medallist Llewellyn Herbert (49.96) made a remarkable improvement from last week when he clinched the third spot. Other runners where Wouter le Roux (50.10), Marius Kritzinger (50.27), Hennie Botha (50.59), Louis van Zyl (50.68), and Pieter Koekemoer (52.67)
“It is great to ran a good race in poor weather conditions. Sometime the weather is even worse than today when we compete on the European circuit,” said Cilliers. “I am going to skip the remaining two ABSA meeting to concentrate on preparing for our Olympic trials next month.”
World High jump champion Hestrie Cloete (1.90) was among the women who despite the unfavourable weather returned noteworthy performances. Sprinter Estie Wittstock (53.60) in the 400m and 400m hurdler Surita Febrraio (53.56) also rose to the occasion. In the men’s 1500m, Clyde Colenso (3.42.70), and 5000m runner Shadrack Hoff (13.58.09) carried the day in their respective races.
Unfazed by the weather condition Reuben Ramolefi improved his career best in the 3000 metres Steeplechase with a winning time of 8:42.73. Veteran Petrus Sithole (8:43.60), and the youthful Sivuyile Dlongwana (8:55.66), where the only other athletes to run under nine minute in a race run through a steady drizzle.
“I have twice improved by career best in the 3000m during this series. So I wanted to carry this speed into the steeplechase. I was not bother by weather. My coach (Hans Seastadt) and I feel think an 8:27 is on the card this year. So next week I will run the 1500m to polish up my speed,” says Ramolefi
SELECTED RESULTS
Note: All athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned OLY A denotes qualified for the Athens Olympics A Standard OLY B denotes qualified for the Athens Olympics B Standard WJC denotes qualified for the World Junior Championships
NJR denoted National Junior record
SR denotes ABSA Series record
PB denotes Personal best
MEN
100m A (-3.7)
1 Sherwin Vries 10.92
2 Snyman Prinsloo 10.96
3 Leigh Julius 10.98
100m B (-3.1)
1 Justin Green 11.04
2 Hannes Dreyer 11.17
3 Ruan de Vries 11.26
400m
1 Marcus la Grange 46.96
2 Cedric van Branteghem (Belgium) 47.14
3 Warren Hartley 48.15
400m Hurdles
1 Ockert Cillier 48.76 OLY A
2 Alwyn Myburgh 49.50 OLY B
3 Llewellyn Herbert 49.96
4 Wouter le Roux 50.10
5 Marius Kritzinger 50.27
6 Hennie Botha 50.59
7 Louis van Zyl 50.68
8 Pieter Koekemoer 52.67
1500m
1 Clde Colenso 3:42.70
2 Johan Botha 3:43.41
3 Peter van der Westhuizen 3:45.53
3000m Steeple chase
1 Reuben Ramolefi 8:42.73 PB
2 Petrus Sithole 8:43.60
3 Sivuyile Dlongwana 8:55.66
5000m
1 Shadrack Hoff 13:58.09
2 Hendrik Ramalla 13:59.31
3 Frank Lek 13:59.57
Discus
1 Frantz Kruger 56.83
2 Stefan Joubert 56.26
3 Johannes van Wyk 54.94
4 Omar El Ghazaly (Egypt) 54.24
WOMEN
100m (-2.5)
1 Geraldine Pillay 11.92
2 Wendy Seegers 11.94
3 Janice Josephs 11.99
200m (-2.3)
1 Heide Seyerling 23.91
2 Janice Josephs 24.84
3 Dikeledi Moropane 24.91
400m
1 Estie Wittstock 53.60
2 Elma Hugo 55.60
3 Carika Potgieter 56.40
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febrraio 53.56
2 Juanee Oekelharing 1:00.62
3 Kerryn Hulsen 1:01.41
1500m
1 Rene Kalmer 4.19.
2 Lebogang Phalula 4:21.86 PB
3 Chanelle Olivier 4:22.37
5000m Walk
1 Nicolin Cronye 22:19.64
2 Ingrid Bort 28:09.79
3 Magriet Botes 29:02:71
High Jump
1 Hestrie Cloete 1.90
2 Vicky Welthagen 1.70
3 Diane Wondergem 1.65
