Shawn Crawford (USA) - 200m heats (© Getty Images)
Former World Indoor 200m champion Shawn Crawford (USA) prevailed over veteran Frank Fredericks (Namibia) in their epic duel at the second Engen Summer Series meeting staged yesterday (4 April) at the Pilditch Stadium.
Taking full advantage of the intense competition from foreign athletes, over a dozen South Africans improved their personal bests in their respective events. The main challenge now is for this new generation to prove that unlike most of their predecessors, they can sustain or even better their performances at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris next August.
Recovering from a poor start, Crawford breezed past his opponents in the last 20 metres to clinch the 100 metres in 10.07. Fredericks was runner up in 10.17. Crawford confirmed his pedigree, when he went on to win the 200m in 20.0,.while Fredericks was third in 20.28.
The main beneficiary of this duel was the Namibian-born Sherwin Vries. Now a naturalised South African, Vries improved his career best by 0.02 in the 100m to take the third spot in a time of 10.21, and later finished second in the 200m, ahead of his idol Fredericks. Vries clocked a time of 20.20, erasing his previous best of 20.56.
“This year I am taking over the sprints. Among other things, I came out here to get over my disappointment at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham. Now I go back home to polish up on my running technique in readiness for Paris,” said Crawford.
“I was happy with my performance and I congratulate the younger athletes, Shawn and Sherwin," said Fredericks. "There has been a lot on my mind lately, with the birth of our daughter, Soraya Jamaica on April 1. Perhaps I will be in a better frame of mind for the last Engen meeting next week,” Fredericks concluded.
The men’s 800m lived up to expectations, thrilling fans as the expected battle between the Kenyans and South Africans athletes took place. Local boy Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, Glody Dube (Botswana), together with Kenyans Joseph Mutua and William Yampoi covered the first lap in under 51 seconds. On the back straight Werner Botha (South Africa) surged and opened a five metres lead.
With 120 metres to the finish, the lead changed three times before Mulaudzi (1:45.24), edged Yampoi (1:45.40) to win his first 800m race this year. The vastly improved Graham Davidson (South Africa) bettered his career best by nearly two seconds when he finished third in 1:46.06.
“Although the pace was pretty fast I choose to run my own race. I trust my sprint on the home straight. Next week I will use a similar tactic in the 1000m. Hopefully, I will cover the distance in under 2:17,” confirmed Mulaudzi. He had became South Africa’s tenth fastest in the 1000m on the all-time list following his career best of 2:18.45 at last weekend’s Engen meeting.
A 400m Hurdles silver medallist at the 2000 World Junior Championships Okert Cilliers thrust himself in the senior limelight with a career best of 48.61. This not only represented a 0.31 seconds improvement from last week, it also maked him the fourth fastest South African in the all-time list.
Jamaica’s Ian Weakley (49.05), Alwyn Myburgh (49.75), Marnus Kritzinger (49.79), Slovakia’s Marcel Lupochovsky (50.56), Martin Willemse (50.71) and Llewellyn Herbert (51.99) followed in that order.
“I can say I have made the transition from a junior to senior athlete. Excelling at the World Championships is my first objective. However, I can also fall back to the World Student Games if I miss Paris,” said a delighted Cilliers.
Bahamas’ Chris Brown maintained his winning streak in the 400m (45.10). He outpaced South Africans La Grange (45.34) and Paul Gorries (45.36) “My trip to South Africa is a blessing for the Lord. Being undefeated in my first two races is very satisfying. Hopefully, I will be in the medal bracket in Paris,” Brown disclosed.
Debbie Ferguson (BAH) won the 100m (11.15) and the 200m (22.50). She had this to say: ”I am more than happy with my performance in the 200m. When I ran 22.49 at the World Cup last year, I did not know I was running that fast. This year I hope to run under 22.20”.
Ferguson’s pace enabled Geraldine Pillay (South Africa) and Winnet Dube (Zimbabwe) to achieve personal bests in both events. Pillay clocked 11.40 (100m) and 23.07 (200m). This is an improvement from 11.45 and 23.31
A member of the Zimbabwean Air Force, Dube bettered both of her national records. Her time of 11.52 in the 100m is 0.08 seconds faster than the previous mark. While in the 200m (23.23), she improved the record by 0.51 seconds.
Locals who achieved career bests, where Johan Cronje (2:19.54) in the 1000m, 400m hurdler Surita Febbraio (54.05), and shot putter Roelie Potgieter (18.88).
Athletes who excelled in field events include World high jump champion Hestrie Cloete (1.95), pole vaulter Okkert Brits (5.80), Burkina Faso’s Africa triple jump champion Olivier Sanon (16.52), Lithuania’s Olympic Discus champion Virgilius Alekna (65.44) and Latvian 110m hurdler Stanislav Olijars (13.26).
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
Selected Results
Note: All athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned. SR denotes series record NR denotes national record AR denotes Africa record PB denotes personal best
MEN
100m A (0.0)
1 Shawn Crawford (USA) 10.07
2 Frank Fredericks (Namibia) 10.17
3 Sherwin Vries 10.21 PB
4 Mathew Quinn 10.27
5 Morne Nagel 10.28
100m B (+0.6)
1 Malcolm Thonga 10.66
2 Franscois Maasdorp 10.69
3 Craig Hendricks 10.76
200m (-0.5)
1 Shawn Crawford (USA) 20.08
2 Sherwin Vries 20.20 PB
3 Frank Fredricks (Namibia) 20.28
4 Morne Nagel 20.37
400m A
1 Chris Brown (Bahamas) 45.10
2 Marcus la Grange 45.34
3 Paul Gorris 45.36
4 Ezra Sambu (Kenya) 45.96
400m B
1 Arnaud Malherbe 46.11
2 Johnson Kubisa (Botswana) 47.14
3 Gaolefiela Salang (Botswana) 47.24
110m Hurdles (+0.1)
1 Stanislav Olijar (Latvia) 13.26
2 Frikkie van Zyl 13.95
3 Marytin du Bruto 14.01
400m Hurdles
1 Ockert Cillers 48.61 PB
2 Ian Weakley 49.05
3 Alwyn Myburgh 49.75
4 Marnus Kritzinger 49.79
5 Marcel Lupochovsky (Slovakia) 50.56
6 Martin Willemse 50.71
7 Llewellyn Herbert 51.99
400m Hurdles B
1 Henk Meyer 50.79
2 James Makale 50.91
3 Ari Pekka Lattu (Finalnd) 51.46
800m A
1 Mbulanei Mulaudzi 1:45.24
2 William Yampoi 1:45.40
3 Grahan Davidson 1:46.06 PB
800m B
1 Lulu Basinye (Botswana) 1: 49.44
2 Niel Speight (Britain) 1:49.66
3 Mogomoisi Gaosego (Botswana) 1:50.16
1000m
1 Johan Cronje 2:19.54 PB
2 James Nolan (Ireland) 2:20.18
3 Clyde Colsenso 2:20.18
Long Jump
1 Martin Mc Clintock 7.65 (+0.9)
2 Charlie Strohmenger 7.41 (+0.3)
3 Tiaan Pretorius 7.25 (+1.3)
Triple Jump
1 Olivier Sanon (Burkina Faso) 16.52 (+1.5)
2 Khotso Mokoena 16.08 (-0.2)
3 Didier Tchalla (Togo) 15.04 (-1.2)
Pole Vault
1 Okkert Brits 5.80
2 Christiaan Tamminga (Holland) 5.70
3 Fanie Jacobs 5.50
Discus
1 Virgilius Alekna (Lithuania) 65.44
2 Aleksander Tammert (Estonia) 63.24
3 Frantz Kruger 62.65
Shot Put
1 Roelie Potgieter 18.88 PB
2 Jaroslav Zitnasky (Slovakia) 18.14.
3 John Sullivan 18.03
Hammer
1 Chris Harmse 77.55
2 Nicola Vizzoni (Italy) 76.05
3 Nicholas Yung Fung (Mauritius) 55.16
WOMEN
100m (0.0)
1 Debbie Ferguson (Bahamas) 11.15
2 Natalya Safronnikova (Belarus) 11.39
3 Geraldine Pillay 11.40 PB
4 Endurance Ojokolo (Nigeria) 11.42
200m (0.0)
1 Debbie Ferguson (Bahamas) 22.50
2 Natalya Safronnikova (Belarus) 22.96
3 Geraldine Pillay 23.07 PB
4 Winnet Dube (Zimbabwe) 23.23 PB/NR
400m
1 Heide Seyerling 51.35
2 Antonina Yefremova (Ukraine) 52.17
3 Estie Wittstock 52.19
100m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Haydy Aron (France) 13.43
2 Margaret Simpson (Ghana) 13.86
3 Liga Klavina (Latvia) 14.10
400m Hurdles
1 Surita Febbraio 54.05 PB
2 Yvonne Harrison (Puerto Rico) 55.92
3 Tacko Diouf (Senegal) 56.46
800m
1 Marlene Breytenbach 2:05.43
2 Loenor Piuza (Mozambique) 2:06.30
3 Rene Kalmer 2:06.66
High Jump
1 Hestrie Cloete 1.95
2 Iryna Michlachenko (Ukraine) 1.90
3 Anna Ksok (Poland) 1.85
Hammer
1 Mia Strommer (Finland) 62.74
2 Elmarie Knoetze 56.02
3 Melissa Soopyrayen (Mauritius) 44.16
