Sherwin Vries winning the 200m in Secunda (Llewellyn Herbert is on the right) (© Ouma)
Secunda, South AfricaSherwin Vries and Ockert Cillers signalled their intention to scale new heights this season with impressive victories at the first of the ABSA Series meetings staged at Secunda Sports Stadium on Friday night (6 Feb).
Fired up by winning both the 100m (10.42) and 200m (20.72) in convincing style, Vries was bold about his intentions this season. “I want to break both the 100m (10.06) and (20.11) national records. Unlikely previously when I kept my ambition a secret, this time I am coming out in the open,” said Vries.
Olympic 400m Hurdles bronze medallist Llewellyn Herbert, placed fourth (21.12) behind Vries, Marcus la Grange (20.82) and Norwegian John Ertzgaard (21.00), but confirmed his time augurs well for his season’s plans.
"I hold the world indoor 300m Hurdles best (34.90), and my aim is to improve that time when I go to Tampere, Finland next week. I hope to scale a new peak in my career this year”, said Herbert who already has a 49.57 400m Hurdles clocking to his name this year (11 Jan, Germiston).
Cilliers shows good flat speed
Continuing his excellent form after the national student track and field championships in eThekwini last December, Ockert Cilliers improved his career best in the flat 400 metres which he won in 45.80. This was an improvement from the 46.41 he achieved in eThekwini. The runner up, fellow 400m hurlder Alwyn Myburgh (46.28), and third placed Leigh Julius (46.59), also established a career bests.
“The flat speed I have been able to develop, should enable me to run the 400m Hurdles in a faster time. My plan is to improve my career best (48.61) in the Hurdles during our domestic season,” commented Cillers.
Quinn double
Heide Seyerling-Quinn, 2000 Olympic 400m finalist, began her season by holding off a spirited challenge from the vastly improved Estie Wittstock in the shorter sprints. She clocked 11.53 to Wittstock’s 11.68 in 100m, and 23.13 to 23.44 in the 200m.
“Over the past three years I have not started my season this way. As a result I did not have the speed to improve my career best in 400m (50.05). My strategy is to build up some speed,” Seyerling-Quinn disclosed. Perhaps the South African record holder in the one lap race, realises that she needs to breaks the 50 seconds barrier to leave her mark in the event.
Bownes aims at World Indoors
Earlier on, Shaun Bownes blew away the field in the men’s 110m Hurdles to win in 13.63. Frikkie van Zyl 1(13.96) and Stefan Hanekom (14.53) took the minor positions.
“This is my first competition since my winter training. After the next two competitions in this series, I should be ready for the World Indoor Championships”, confirmed Bownes, the Commonwealth Games champion, who was the 2001 World Indoor bronze medallist over 60m Hurdles.
Other notable performances was in the women’s 100m Hurdles where Estonia’s Mirjam Liimask (13.75) was a comfortable winner. Elizna Naude (58.04) won the Discus. Riaan Botha cleared the bar at 5.30m in Pole Vault. While Khotso Mokeona (7.59) won the Long Jump, Burger Lambrechts (18.88) held sway in the Shot. A strong finish enabled marathon runner Hendrik Ramaala (8:06.03) to prevail over Jac Steenkamp (8:06.51) in the 3000m.
Selected Results -
Note: All Athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned.
MEN
100m A (no wind reading)
1 Sherwin Vries 10.42
2 Lee-Roy Newton 10.52
3 John Ertzgaard (Norway) 10.53
100m B (no wind reading)
1 Christiaan Krone 10.65
2 Lance Dickson 10.73
3 Brenden Harmse 10.86
100m C (-1.3)
1 Rudolf Germishuys 10.2
2 Liam de Weerd 10.6
3 Duncan Sithole 10.7
200m A (no wind reading)
1 Sherwin Vries 20.72
2 Marcus la Grange 20.82
3 John Ertzgaard (Norway) 21.00
200m B (no wind reading)
1 Snyman Prinsloo 21.41
2 Quincy Douglas (Norway) 21.76
3 Christian Birk (Denmark) 21.80
400m A
1 Ockert Cilliers 45.80 PB
2 Alwyn Mybergh 46.28 PB
3 Leigh Julius 46.59 PB
400m B
1 Wouter le Roux 47.65
2 Quincy Douglas (Norway) 47.82
3 Nico Oosthuizen 47.87
110m Hurdles A
1 Shaun Bownes 13.63
2 Frikkie van Zyl 13.96
3 Stefan Hanekom 14.53
110m Hurdles B
1 George James 14.51
2 Glenn Whittle 14.93
3 Tiaan Hanekom 15.00
800m
1 Werner Botha 1:48.88
2 Adriaan van Wyk 1:49.81
3 Pieter van der Westhuizen 1:50.35
3000m
1 Hendrik Ramaala 8:06.03
2 Jac Steenkamp 8:06.51
3 Clyde Colenso 8:09.13
Long Jump
1 Khotso Mokoena 7.59
2 Martin McClintock 7.50
3 Calla Fourie 7.34
Pole Vault
1 Riaan Botha 5.30m
2 Fanie Jacobs 5.20m
3 Lauren Looije (Netherlands) 5.00m
Shot Put
1 Burger Lambrechts 18.88
2 Roelie Potgieter 17.47
3 Wessel Lemmer 16.70
Shot Put (Juniors)
1 Kosie Barnard 16.88
WOMEN
100m A (no wind reading)
1 Heide Seyerling Quinn 11.53
2 Estie Wittstock 11.68
3 Melissa le Roux 12.12
100m B (no wind reading)
1 Mia Seidler 12.24
2 Helena Venter 12.30
3 Carla Fick 12.36
200m A (no wind reading)
1 Heide Seyerling-Quinn 23.13
2 Estie Wittstock 23.44
3 Carika Potgieter 24.25
200m B (no wind reading)
1 Margurite Venter 25.37
2 Thandi Mngwevu 25.41
3 Monique Coetzee 25.70
400m
1 Dominique Koster 55.12
2 Leanie Hall 55.90
3 Keery Hulsen 55.91
100m Hurdles (no wind reading)
1 Mirjam Liimask (Estonia) 13.75
2 Sune Labuschagne 14.27
3 Justin Robbeson 14.48
800m
1 Angela Wagner 2:05.89
2 Tina Paulina (Mozambique) 2:06.17
3 Chanelle Olivier 2:06.80
3000m
1 Rene Kalmer 9:33.59
2 Poppy Mlambo 9:36.34
3 Irvette van Blerk 9:41.64
Long Jump
1 Karen Mey 6.15 (+0.8)
2 Delie Visser 6.13 (+1.5)
3 Sirkka Liisa Kivine 6.01 (+3.66)
Discus
1 Elizna Naude 58.04
2 Marlie Knoetze 46.50
3 Magdel Venter 46.27
