Sunette Viljoen (RSA) (© Mark Ouma)
Durban, South AfricaA new women's African Javelin record of 61.59m was established by South Africa's Sunette Viljoen of Potchefstroom University at the ABSA SASSU Students' championships on Friday (5 Dec).
The distance which came in the second round bettered her own continental record set in July this year by 1.02m. Viljoen followed it up with two more throws over 60m in her series.
The 20-year-old, who set a record of 58.33m at the same meeting exactly a year ago, has made tremendous improvement during the past year, improving her record on 15 July in Potchefstroom to 60.57m.
She went out in the qualifying round at the World Championships in Paris, took a disappointing bronze at the African Games (51.68m, 13 Oct) before winning the Afro-Asian Games with 55.49m in Hyderabad on 29 October.
"My main target is to be selected to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games in Athens," said Viljoen.
I think the international exposure I gained this year at the World Championships in Paris (France), the All Africa Games in Abuja (Nigeria) and the Afro Asian Games in Hyderbad (India) all contributed to this massive improvement."
Flat and Hurdles double for Cilliers
Ockert Cilliers improved his career best in the 400m by 0.25 with a winning time of 46.41. Graeme Dehrmann (47.32) was runner up ahead of Marnus Kritzinger (47.40). While World Student Games bronze medallist Hennie Botha was fourth in 50.77
Cilliers went on to clinching the gold medal in his specialty the 400 metres Hurdles (49.71). "After running in so many preliminaries, I was surprised with my time in the 400m final," commented Cilliers.
"I maintain that I have no regrets missing the World Student Games where I had a good chance of winning the 400m hurdles," said Cilliers. He has a 48.61 to his credit for 400m Hurdles this season but instead he opted for the World Championships in Paris where he was a semi-finalist.
"I gained the kind of experience I need, competing against the big guys like Felix (Sanchez). I think this will bear fruit next year, hopefully at the Olympics," he explained. Cilliers was a silver medallist at the 2000 World Junior Championships.
A double medallist at the World Student Games, Leigh Julius was a cut above the rest in the men's sprints. He won the 100m in 10:24. Christiaan Krone (10:46) was second and Antoine Rossouw (10:50) third.
The pattern was repeated in the 200m with Julius clocking 21.02, Krone (21.70), and Rossouw (21.74). Julius is the World Student Games 200m champion, and silver medallist in 100m.
"This year my biggest challenge has been to strike a balance between my academic work and sports activities. Should my end of year exam results confirm that I can strike this balance, then rest assured my best in athletics has yet to come," said Julius.
Teenager Pieter Vorster was the first to set a record at the event. He upstaged the defending champion Marc Mundell to win the men's 20km Race Walk. He clocked 1:40:02 to Mundell's 1:42:22 while Stef Kruger (1:54:45) was third. In the process Voster bettered the South Africa junior record of 1:41:20, set by Mundell at this championships last year.
Anthony Hermanus was next with a 14:13.65 effort in the 5000m. The previous championship record stood at 14:15.91. After finishing second in the 5000m (14:19.25), Reuben Ramolefi established a 3000m steeplechase (8:45.98) meet record. The old mark stood at 8:46.70. "This my first sub nine minutes in the event. I will improve next year," says Ramolefi.
Returning to competition after a year plagued with injury, Johan Cronje won the 800m (1:48.92) and 1500( 3:45.30). With a 3.37.28 effort to his credit, Cronje is probably the country's most promising 1500.
"To atone for this disappointing year, I aim to qualify for the Athens Olympics. That is the bare minimum. I think it is time we ran closer to the 3:30 mark," he said.
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
SELECTED RESULTS
Note:
CH denotes Championships Record
NR denotes National Record
NJR denotes National Junior Record
AR denotes Africa Record
MEN
100m
1. Leigh Julius 10:24
2. Christiaan Krone 10:46
3. Antoine Rossouw 10:50
200m
1. Leigh Julius 21.02
2. Christiaan Krone 21.70
3. Antoine Rossouw 21.74
400m
1. Ockert Cilliers 46.41
2. Graeme Dehrmann 47.32
3. Marnus Kritzinger 47.40
110m Hurdles
1. Hennie Kotze 14.19
2. Johan Koen 14.20
3. Gustav Kukkuk 14.22
400m Hurdles
1. Ockert Cillers 49.71
2.Johan Koen 50.59
3. Marnus Kritzinger 50.64
800m
1. Johan Cronje 1:48.92
2. Adriaan van Wyk 1:49.24
3. Graham Davidson 1:49.75
1500m
1. Johan Cronje 3:45.30
2. Johan Pretorius 3:45.97
3. Victor Sethosa 3:47.54
3000m Steeplechase
1. Reuben Ramolefi 8:45:95 CR
2. Alphonso Primo 8:52.77
3. Petrus Seeco 9:00.74
5000m
1. Anthony Hermanus 14:13:65 CR
2. Reuben Ramolefi 14:19.25
3. Benedict Moeng 14.19.73
10,000m
1. Lusapho April 29:53:59
2. Anthony Hermanus 29:57:96
3. Benedict Moeng 29:59:69
Long Jump
1. Yaw Fosu-Amoah 7.56
2. Tiaan Pretorius 7.54
3. Nico Grimbeeck 7.47
Triple Jump
1. Heinrich Lourens 14.99
2. Jason Kidza-Sewanyana 14.82
3. Isaac Ponu 14.77
High Jump
1.Nico Grobbelaar 2.05
2. Mark Antonels 1.95
3. Terence Wepener 1.95
Pole Vault
1. Johan du Plessis 4.60
2. Wouter Lombard 4.30
Javelin
1. Frans Human 73.09
2. Bran Erasmus 68.90
3. Tinus Barnard 68.32
Discus
1. Johannes van Wyk 55.25
2. Rolie bPotgieter 49.87
3. Berne van der Bergh 43.50
Shot Put
1. Rolie Potgieter 16.75
2.Wessel Lemmer 16.52
3. Berne van der Bergh 15.80
Hammer
1. Rudolf Venter 65.00
2. Jaco Claasen 44.96
3. Brain Erasmus 38.18
Decathlon
1. Sors Joubert 6140
2. Msawenkosi Xaba 5450
3. Bruce Brown 5315
20km Race walk
1. Pieter Vorster 1:40:02 (NJR)
2. Marc Mundell 1:42:22
3. Stef Kruger 1:54:45
21.1km (Half Marathon)
1. Josiah Dibodu 1:08:03
2. Klaas Ramulutsi 1:08:27
3. Daniel Nkoane 1:09:18
4x100m Relay
1. University of Pretoria 41.07
2. University of Port Elizabeth 42.00
3. Northlink College, Parrow 42.14
4x400m Relay
1. University of Potchefstroom 3:10:04
2. University of Pretoria 3:10.60
3. Northern Gauteng Technikon 3:15.16
WOMEN
100m
1. Carika Potgieter 11.78
2. Estie Wittstock 11.90
3. Mia du Toit 12.05
200m
1. Estie Wittstock 24.25
2. Elmie Hugo 24.72
3. Lizelle Kleynhans 24.94
400m
1. Estie Wittstock 55.47
2. Elmie Hugo 56.12
3. Benje Swart 56.36
100m Hurdles (+2)
1. Sune Labushagne 13.77
2. Monique Belsamo 14.27
3. Jeanee Pekelharing14:98
400m Hurdles
1. Monique Balsamo 1:00.27
2. Jeanee Pekelharing 1:00.72
3. Leandri du Plooy 1:03.33
800m
1. Liza van der Merwe 2:06.96
2. Chantal Breets 2:08.77
3. Lizanne Steenkamp 2:08.96
1500m
1. Liza van der Merwe 4:29:04
2. Zanelle Grobler 4:31.80
3. Lizanne Steenkamp 4:31.84
3000m Steeple Chase
1. Minette Bell 10:44:01
2. Tebogo Masehela 10:57.40
5000m
1. Minette Bell 16:37.79
2. Ezbe Strydom 16:40.84
3. Rika Feuth 16:45.23
Long Jump
1. Delia Visser 6.19
2. Karin Mey 5.97
3. Moira Steyn 5.86
Triple Jump
1. Mariana Banting 12.28
2. Karin Pretorius 12.00
3. Yolandi Meijer 11:95
High Jump
1.Dianie Wondergem 1.70
2. Mariana Banting 1.65
3. Luzanne van Leeuwen 1.55
Pole Vault
1. Jhana Knoetze 3.60
2. Margheretha du Plessis 3.60
3. Corrie Doubell 3.30
Javelin
1. Sunette Viljoen 61.59 AR/CR
2.Atli Taljard 40:55
3. Riana Rossouw 40:11
Discus
1. Elizna Naude 52.29
2. Mariska van Zyl 46.30
3. Maranelle du Toit 44.63
Shot Put
1. Maranelle du Toit 16:03
2. Mariska van Zyl 13.68
3. Elene Taljaard 13.29
Hammer
1. Ingrid Doubell 45.35
2. Claud-Mari du Toit 45.05
3. Sane du Preez 42.36
Heptathlon
1. Luzanne van Leeuwen 4795
2. Marizca Gertenbach 4729
3. Valmare Louw 4493
10 km Race walk
1. Nicolene Cronje 52:12
2. Natalie Fourie 53:48
3. Karen Becker 1:03:37
21.1km (Half Marathon)
1. Ezse Strydom 1:22:50
2. Julia Janse van Rensburg 1:23:38
3. Norma Nonkonyana 1:24:11
4x100m Relay
1. University of Free State 46.88
2. University of Pretoria 47.69
3. Rand Afrikaans University 48.11
4x400m Relay
1.Rand Afrikaans University 3:47.72
2.University of Pretoria 3:54.08
3.University of Stellenbosch 3:58.63
