Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 101, December 2017 | Page 10

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Compiled by Reggie Hufkie
Records tumbled in the women’s 50km
and 20km races at the annual ASA Inter-
provincial Race Walking Championships in
George on 21 October. Natalie Le Roux
tackled the 50km, which was recently
added to the IAAF programme at World
Champs, and stopped the clock on
4:54:33, more than 23 minutes faster than
the previous SA Record of 5:17:55, set by
Sandra Steenkamp. In the 20km, 93-year-
old Cecily Rootenberg also made her mark
when she became the first 90-95 age group
race walker to finish an official 20km race.
Her time of 3:53:41 still has to be ratified by
the World Masters Athletics body before it
can be officially recognised, but either way,
it is a world class achievement. Meanwhile,
the men’s 50km was won by Mthunzi
Mnisi for the third consecutive year, the men’s 20km title went to Sizwe Ndebele,
and the women’s 20km to Zelda Schultz.
Mokopane Claims Tembisa Mile
Steeplechase specialist Rantso
Mokopane caused an upset
when he came from behind to
win the prestigious TomTom
Tembisa Street Mile on 29
October. He broke the tape in
a lightning fast time of 4:06.03
(at altitude), narrowly beating
Jerry Motsau (4:07.8), with
Nkosinathi Sibiya (4:11.6) third.
In the women’s race, 17-year-
old Nicole Louw clocked 4:48.8
to win the race, with another youngster, Prudence Sekgodisho, finishing second
in 4:49.5, and Anuscha Nice rounding off the podium positions in 4:51.8. In the
accompanying 10km race, Lesotho stars Namakoe Nkhasi and Mamarolla Tjoka
claimed the men’s and women’s titles in 29:36 and 34:50 respectively.
Gelant, Molotsane Dominate10km Champs
South African 5000m record holder
Elroy Gelant made his decisive
move after the 7km mark of the
SA 10km Champs in Nelspruit on
4 November, breaking up the lead
group of eight men as he sped
away to win in 29:08. Gladwin
Mzazi and Precious Mashele
finished second and third in 29:15
and 29:17 respectively. In the
women’s race, Kesa Molotsane
added yet another title to her long
list of 2017 wins as she won her first national title on the road with a time of 33:38. She
was followed home by Nolene Conrad (33:58) and Glenrose Xaba (34:25).
Poole Equals Old Freitag Record
World Under-18 high jump gold medallist Breyton Poole proved that his 2.24m
clearance at the World Under-18 Champs earlier this year was no fluke when he
sailed over the bar at 2.25m at the Western Province Athletics Open Meeting
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ISSUE 101 DECEMBER 2017 / www.modernathlete.co.za
on 4 November. Adding one
centimetre to his personal
best, the youngster equalled
SA Record Holder Jacques
Freitag’s 18-year-old SA Youth
record.
Van Zyl En