South African team for Paris 2003 (© Mark Ouma for the IAAF)
South Africa has combined promising young blood with experienced veterans in their team to the World Athletics Championships to be contested in Paris next month.
While they have assembled their strongest marathon ever, Athletics South Africa (ASA) revealed that Adidas are the latest addition to the team's sponsors.
After some promising performances during the domestic season, Alexander Motone (3000m Steeplechase), Graham Davidson (800m), Paul Gorris (400m, 4x400m), Sherwin Vries (100m), Geraldine Pillay (100m), and Africa women's Javelin record holder Sunette Viljoen, are making their debut at senior level on the world stage.
Former world junior 200m champion Paul Gorris lines up for the 400 metres having set rather modest goals. " I want to complete my transition to the 400m. Bettering my career best (45.30) is my prime objective. What I want to get right is my race pattern.
"My starts have been rather slow, leaving too much work to be done in the closing stages of the race. I aim to cover the first 200m in 21.6 seconds. That way I should be able to post a sub 45 seconds. That will prepare me well for the Athens Olympics," Gorris said.
While he initially showed promise in the 1500m, Graham Davison has settled for the 800m after clocking a career best of 1:44.98 last month. "While competing in Europe I realised there was far too much work to do to qualify for 1500m. Sharpening up my speed will give me a competitive edge. A world championships is just what I need to acclimatise myself to big time athletics."
Leading an emerging crop of 3000 metres steeplechase runner Motone (23) is confident that he will better his 8:29:39 achieved in February. "The six weeks of training in Kenya in June and July have been an eye opener. I am more confidence about not just posting a career best, but also improving the national record (8:19.00)," said Motone.
Veteran Surita Febbraio (400m Hurdles) says this time she is better prepared and rested than she was in Edmonton, Canada two years ago. "Back then I had to compete hard both during the domestic season and in Europe to gain recognition. By the time I got to Edmonton I was physically tired. With a personal best (54.05) earlier in the year and a 54.30 in Poland this month, I have a clear chance to reach the finals, says Febrraio.
The marathon coach Driss Lessing had this to say "Since the Josia Thugwane victory at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, our marathon runners have performed below our expectation. With Ezael Thlobo, Gert Thys, Hendrick Ramaala, Ian Syster, and Thugwane in good form this year, we are working on a strategy that will yield some positive results".
"Since returning from the French Pyrennees where I did my base work after the London marathon, I have been sharpening up my speed. This is the strongest team we have ever had," says Ramaala.
"Some people doubt that I can excel the way I did in Atlanta. This takes the pressure off me. I know I can bring smiles to the faces of South Africans," Thugwane declared.
Meanwhile, the Africa Hammer Throw record holder Chris Harmse, is in a race against time to qualify for Paris. Owing to his religious convictions, Harmse missed the Sydney Olympics and the Edmonton World Championships because the event was contested on a Sunday. While this time the event will not take place on Sunday, he fell ill and only resumed training last month.
"He is training in Szombathely, Hungary with some of the best in the event worldwide. Harmse has up to August 13 to qualify and prove he is competition fit," says Carl Preller, the head of ASA Elite Coaches Co-ordination Committee.
South Africa' main hopes for medals rest with the tried and tested veterans, most of whom are tight lipped about their expectations in Paris. These include the women's High Jump defending champion Hestrie Cloete, Olympic bronze medallists Frantz Kruger (Discus) and Llewellyn Herbert (400m Hurdles), Okkert Brits (Pole Vault), together with the 800m duo of Hezekiel Sepeng and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi.
"We are not going to put pressure on athletes to win medals. What we are looking for is to improve our medal tally from our outing in Edmonton," says ASA Chief Executive Banele Sindani. At the last championships South Africa bagged a gold and silver medal.
The full team
MENS
Track and Field
Alexander Motone (3000m steeplechase), Alwyn Myburgh (400m hurdles, 4x400m), Ernest van Dyk (wheelchair event), Frantz Kruger (discus), Graham Davidson (800m), Hezekiel Sepeng
(800m, 4x400m), Jacques Freitag (high jump), Janus Robberts (shot put), Llewellyn Herbert (400m hurdles), Marcus la Grange (400m), Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (800m), Ockert Cilliers (400m hurdles, 4x400m), Okkert Brits (pole vault), Paul Gorris (400m, 4x400m), Shaun Bownes (110m hurdles), Sherwin Vries (100m).
Marathon
Ezael Thlobo, Gert Thys, Hendrick Ramaala, Ian Syster, Josia Thugwane.
WOMENS
Geraldine Pillay (100m), Heide Seyerling-Quinn (400m), Hestrie Cloete (high jump), Sunette Viljoen (javelin), Surita Febbraio (400m hurldes)
TEAM MANAGEMENT
Team Managers: Wilfred Daniels, Motlatsi Keikabile.
Track and Field Coaches: Carl Preller, JP van der Merwe, Marc Labuschagne, Martin Marx.
Team Doctor: Dr Harold Adams.
Team Physiotherapist: Tumi Komane.
