South
Africa to send 20 athletes to Sydney Olympic Games
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
16 August 2000 – Johannesbutg - The National Olympic Committee of South Africa (NOCSA), today announced a 20 member team that will compete in track and field athletics at the Sydney Olympics next month.
The team of 16 men and four women, join a somewhat modified marathon contingent that was named in May. NOCSA President Sam Ramsamy says athletics team caps the selection of 131 Olympians the country will send to the quadrennial event.
"We have announced the athletics team last as we want to base the selection on current forming. Over 50 athletes achieved the Olympic qualifying standard between the beginning of this year and the end of our domestic season in April.
"However, they had to satisfy us that they are competition fit during their tour on the European circuit in July and August. It is only those whose performances where inside the Olympic qualifier that have been selected in our final team They join the four marathon runners we selected in April who are training in United States and in Johannesburg," said Ramsamy.
The marathon contingent of four includes Olympic champion Josiah Thugwane, Hendrik Ramaala and Johannes Maramane (men) and Colleen de Reuck (women). Elana Meyer has requested to be dropped from the marathon team and instead run the 10000 metres.
The men’s marathon is the one event where there exists a strong possibility of more than one South Africa winning a medal in a single event in Sydney. Thugwane, Hendrik Ramaala, and national champion Johannes Maramane form the formidable challenge to the rest of the world. While De Reuck is training in Colorado in the United States, Maramane is also training in Johannesburg
"After looking at the course in Sydney in May, l have elected to train for six weeks prior to the Olympics in Alberqueque, in the United States where l trained just before Atlanta. I ran the London marathon without doing much speed work. l am polishing up my speed and on the day of the race l will be fit and ready to retain my Olympics title," said Thugwane.
The dark horse of the marathon race is likely to be Ramaala qualified for Sydney by completing his first full marathon in London in a time of 2:09:43. Having competed on the European track circuit in June and July, he has returned to South Africa to train for Sydney.
"I am in the finals phase of my training for the marathon and I prefer doing it here in Johannesburg as l want to sleep in my bed, eat local food and training in a familiar environment. After all the climate in South Africa is similar to that of Sydney. I expect to be in good shape for the marathon in Sydney. The race will be a tactical affair, which suits me as l have the speed to take on the best runners at the finish," said Ramaala
Olympic 800 metre silver medalists Hezekiel Sepeng will lead the medal hunt in the track and field events. Together with his training partner Johan Botha, Sepeng has been training in Eldoret, Kenya with some of the world best middle and distance runners.
Hendrik Mokganyetsi improved his career best by 0.02 second on his way to winning the 400 metres in 44.83 seconds at the Golden League meeting in Weltklasse Zurich last week. Like compatriot Arnaud Malherbe, he aims to go one better than their outing in Atlanta where they reached the semi finals.
A bronze medallist in the 100 metres at the World Student Games last year, Quinn’s 100metre time of 10.19 seconds, should see hims advance to at least the semi finals. Heide Seyerling will compete in the women’s 400 metres.
Llewellyn Herbert won a silver medal in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1997 Athens World championships. A potential Olympic medalist it remains to be seen weather Herbert can maintain his winning form in Sydney. Over the last two years he has broke new grounds early in the domestic season, but flopped when it matters most.
Shaun Bownes has improved the Africa record in the high hurdles several time in the past two years. His 13.49 seconds in Finland at the end of July signals his ability to further improve his Africa 110 metres hurdles record of 13.39 seconds.
While the track and marathon athletes have produced Olympic medallists, no one has won a medal in a field event. Okkert Brits has been consistent on the Grand Prix circuit since May. However, it remains to be seem if he has finally developed the big macth temprament he has lacked in the past.
Elmarie Gerryts has dominated the Africa pole vault scene since the event was introduced to women five years ago. She should have not problem reaching the finals in Sydney.
Chris Harmse spreaheads Africa’s quest to make in roads in the hammer throw, an event dominated by Eastern Europeans. If Frantz Kruger has had enough time to train in between his medical studies, he is a potential finalist in the men’s discus.
Frit Potgieter (discus ) and hisa younger sibling Karel are the first members of the same family to make the Olympic team. Karel (20.29) , Burger Lambrechts (20.56) and janus Robberts (19.77) will be going flat out to break Jan Pienaar’s national record of 20.60m.
In all South Africa has a realistic potential of winning four medals. Alot depends on how well the athletes psyche up as they enter the Olympics Village on September 4.
The full team consists of the following:
Women
Hestrie Cloete:High Jump
Collen de Reuck: Marathon
Elmarie Gerryts: Pole Vault
Elana Meyer: 10000m
Heide Seyerling: 400m
Men
Johan Botha: 800m, 4x400m relay
Werner Botha: 800m, 4x400m relay
Okkert Brtis: Pole Vault
Shaun Bownes:110m Hurdles
Chris Harmse: Hammer
Llewellyn Herbert: 400m Hurdles, 4x400m relay
Frantz Kruger:Discus
Burger Lambrechts:Shot Put
Arnaud Malherbe: 400m, 4x400m relay
Johannes Maramane: Marathon
Hendrik Mokganyetsi: 400m, 4x400m relay
Alwyn Myburgh: 400m Hurdles, 4x400m relay
Frits Potgieter: Shot Put
Karel Potgeiter: Shot Put
Matthew Quinn: 100m
Hezekiel Sepeng: 800m, 4x400m relay
Hendrick Ramaala: Marathon
Janus Robberts: Shot put
Josiah Thugwane: Marathon
