Mark Ouma for the IAAF
Pole vaulter Elmarie Gerryts (South Africa), hammer throwers Chris Harmse (South Africa)
and Lorraine Shaw (Britain), set continental records, while Lwiza John (Tanzania) set a
national record at the ABSA track and field meeting at the University of Port Elizabeth
Stadium, in South Africa.
Competing for the first time this year in South Africa, Gerryts improved her African
record by four centimetres with a vault of 4.40m. Gerryts erased the old mark of 4.36m
which she set in Athens, Greece last year.
The soft spoken Stellenbosch-based athlete, who has dominated the event in Africa ever
since it was introduced to women in 1995, had just returned from Europe where last week,
she had bettered her African indoor record by eleven centimetres in two meetings. She
vaulted 4.40m in Chemnitz (Germany) last Saturday, and 4.41 in Birmingham (Britain) the
following day.
"I am satisfied l have proved l can consistently vault over at 4.40m. My ultimate
goal is to shine at the Olympics. However l have more immediate business to attend to.
"Next weekend, l will be vaulting on home ground during the South Africa Senior Track
and Field championships. It is quite some time since l set a record in Stellenbosch. I aim
to clear the 4.45m mark," Gerryts with a confident smile.
Although his final throw of 77.19m was disallowed for technical reasons, Harmse was
satisfied with his new African record of 76.71m which he achieved on his fifth attempt. He
improved on the 76.28 mark he set in Stellenbosch last week.
Harmse final throw was disallowed has he unwittingly used a different implement whose
specifications did not meet the standards required for the event. "I am satisfied
with the decision of the officials. It shows that they are seriously committed to
observing the professional standards of competitions. That is good for Africa, " said
Harmse.
"I was very confident that l would do well today after my coach (Basie Koen) told me
l had the ability to throw over 77 metres. I have a lot of confidence in my coach. He has
coached me for over seven years. My only disappointment was that he was not here to
witness the event. Anyway l am happy this time we could throw in front of a big crowd
unlike last week."
"My goal is to set a Commonwealth record during the Engen series next month. I hope
my coach will be there as he motivates me a lot, " said Harmse. The Commonwealth
record of 77.58m was set by Sean Carlin of Australia in Canberra, Australia in 1994.
Shaw pulled out all stops to regain her Africa all-comer record with a throw of 65.64. She
briefly lost it to Hungarian Katalin Divos who threw 65.37 in Stellenbosch last week.
"I wanted to throw over 65 metres in my first throw and when l did that l felt l had
achieved my goal of the day. I will now go to do some hard power training and when l begin
the European outdoor season l will be relaxed. This will enable me to build up well to the
Olympics," said Shaw.
A surge of speed with 600 metres to go was all Lwiza John needed to shake of her rivals
and power her way to a Tanzanian record in the women’s 1500m. Her time of 4:14.80
improved on the week old record of 4:15.25 she set in Stellenbosch.
Zimbabwean Julia Sakara was runner up in 4:15.70. Third place went to South Africa’s
world youth champion, Zanelle Grobler, who improved her week-old career best by over a
second to 4:16.60.
"Last week l was beaten at the tap because l started my surge with only 300m out.
This time l wanted to take out the string from (Julia) Sakara and the South Africans very
early," explained John.
Britain’s Tony Whiteman took the lead at the bell and held off Kenya’s Fred
Cheruiyot to win the men’s 1500m in 3:41.34 to Cheruiyot’s 3:41.86. World 800m
indoor speed past Ben Cheruiyot (the younger brother Kenya’s Laban Rotich), to snatch
the third place. Botha clocked 3:42.19 to Cheruiyot’s 3:42.61.
Taking turns leading for the last 7,000m of the race Shadrack Hoff and Hendrik Ramaala
achieved the Olympic A-category in the 10,000m. In an exciting sprint for the line Hoff
came from behind to win in 27:46.03, to Ramaala’s 27:46.33. Making his debut at the
10,000m, the 1996 world junior 5000m bronze medallist Aaron Gabonewe was third in
28:30.46.
Although he won the 3000m steeplechase, Simon Mayisela could not hide his disappointment.
"I am disheartened by the fact there were no pace makers in the steeplechase. Running
the last 2000m alone was not good enough even though the crowd gave me all their support.
I wish the organisers will give us some pace setters at next week’s national
championships and the Engen series next month. I believe l can better the South African
record this year," said Mayisela who is the South African champion in the event. The
South Africa record of 8:19.00 was set by Whaddon Niewoiudt in 1992.
Leading Results
Note: All athletes are South Africans unless where
mention otherwise
Men
100m
1 Matthew Quinn 10.42
2 Nnamdi Anusim (Nigeria) 10.50
3 Christie van Wyk (Namibia) 10.61
200m
1Marcus la Grange 20.65
2 Paul Gorries 20.82
3 Mattew Quinn 20.87
4 Lee-Roy Newton 21.09
5 Christie van Wyk (Namibia) 21.14
400m
1 Jopie Van Oudtshoorn 46.60
2 Arnaud Malherbe 46.60
3 Lukas Richter 46.70
400m Hurdles
1 Llewellyn Herbert 49.26
2 Willie Smit (Namibia) 50.30
3 Alwyn Myburgh 50.52
800m
1 Shaun Abrahams 1:47.30
2 Gideon van Oudtshoorn 1:47.90
3 Gerhard Steyn 1:48.00
1500m
1 Tony Whiteman (Britain) 3:41.34
2 Fred Cheruiyot (Kenya) 3:41.86
3 Johan Botha 3:42.19
4 Ben Cheruiyot 3:42.61
3000m steeplchase
1 Simon Mayisela 8:38.42
2 Alexander Motone 8:51.99
3 Joel Kgokong 8:53.47
4 Castor Soul 8:55.05
5 Arthur Manyike 8:57.98
10000m
1 Shadrack Hoff 27:46.08
2 Hendrik Ramaala 27:46.38
3 Aaron Gabonewe 28:30.46
High Jump
1 Jacques Freitag 2.25
2 Malcolm Hendriks 2.18
3 Jaco Joubert 2.14
Pole Vault
1 Okkert Brits 5.30
2 Fanie Jacobs 4.90
3 Jaco Van Vuuren 4.90
Hammer
1 Chris Harmse 76.71 (Africa record)
2 Ricardo Meiring 63.45
3 Riaan Smit 58.60
4 John Osazuwa (Nigeria) 57.33
Javelin
1 Johan Vosloo 78.15
2 Johannes van Eck 73.33
3 Theuns Barnard 67.51
Women
100m
1 Heide Seyerling 11.48
2 Wendy Hartman 11.57
3 Dikeledi Moropane 11.74
400m
1 Heide Seyerling 50.90
2 Olga Kotlyarova (Russia) 51.80
3 Yulia Nosova (Russia) 54.20
1500m
1 Lwiza John (Tanzania) 4:14.80 (National record)
2 Julia Sakara (Zimbabwe) 4:15.70
3 Zanelle Grobler 4:16.60
Pole Vault
1 Elmarie Gerryts 4.40 (Africa outdoor record)
2 Chrisna Oosthuizen 3.80
3 Sylma Jordaan 3.70
Hammer
1 Lorraine Shaw (Britain) 65.64 (Africa all-comers record)
2 Katalin Divos (Hungary) 62.05
3 Elmarie Knoetzen 53.68
4 Sarah Harrison (Britain) 50.78
5 Lizelvan Zyl 48.62
6 Zoe Derham (Britain) 48.26
