Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 118, May 2019 | Page 39

TRACK & FIELD
Sunette Viljoen
March 2018, and his aggressive front-running tactics
have endeared him to South African spectators. He
recently ran 3:39 for the 1500m at altitude, and he is a
massive talent that can go far, but he needs competition
in South Africa, and that is sadly where we are lacking
at this moment. And that could bite him down the line.
His 3:43.60 at SA Champs is not a time to get excited
about, but given that he did all the work and it is the
title that counts, we cannot underestimate how good
he is. However, keep an eye on Nkosinatho Sibaya, as
he is part of a new generation coming from KZN. If he
continues to develop, he and Mphahlele could well be
the next generation of SA middle distance stars.
Munyai is devastating, but he continues to go missing
when it matters most. If that doesn’t change soon, one
of the most prodigious talents will be lost to the sport.
Meanwhile, Tlotliso Gift Leotlela is also still battling
with injury, so while the talent is there, it needs to be
developed, and quickly.
struggle to acclimatise to high altitude on short notice.
Nevertheless, you would still have expected her to be
able to stick with Caster, and the fact that she couldn’t
speaks more about Caster’s change of pace than
Dominique’s lack of speed.
Long Jump: Best Nation in the World?
With Luvo Manyonga the defending World Champion,
and Ruswahl Samaai picking up a bronze in the
World Championships, it could be argued that SA is
the world’s strongest long jumping nation. These two
jumpers dominated the SA Champs, with Manyonga
hitting 8.35m and Samaai landing at 8.21m, while Zarck
Visser posted an 8.01m, having already gone 8.41 this
season. That is a very strong line-up that few nations
can compete with.
Javelin: Viljoen Wins 13 th Title
That is a great stat... for Sunette Viljoen... but she has
no competition. The fact that she won with a sub-60m
throw speaks volumes. We all know Viljoen has a
70m-plus throw in her arms, and the season is long, but
the lack of new talent bubbling under is of huge concern.
Shot Put: Cremona Goes Big
Orazio Cremona smashed a lifetime best in the men’s
shot put with his 21.51m heave, to win by 150cm! This
distance places Cremona in medal territory for World
Champs, and for someone who manages a Deli fulltime,
that is quite an impressive performance, but once again
depth is a problem in event.
1500m: Mphahlele Leads From the Front
Ryan Mphahlele has taken SA middle distance running
by storm. He is unbeaten in the 1500m and mile since
Orazio Cremona
Caster
Semenya
leads
Dominique
Scott-Efurd
Caster has not been training for the 5000m, which
begs the question, what could she do over the 12 and
a half laps if she did train for the event? Certainly a low
15-minute is possible. She improved her previous best
by six seconds, and this was only her second outing in
the 5000m. Dominique finished second (16:13.71) and
Kesa third (16:25.23).
Hammer Throw: New Kid on the Block
Having won 23 consecutive SA titles in the men’s
hammer throw, Chris Harmse was finally dethroned
this year by Tshepang Makate, whose comment
straight after the competition was, “A 23-year-old
breaks a 23 year record.” Makhethe’s 72.25m is not
going to shake up the world, but at 23, his hammer
throw career is just starting, and he will come into
his prime in the next seven to 10 years. He has for
the last six years been labelled the heir apparent to
Harmse, and this breakthrough will give him massive
impetus, but as with so many other events, the depth
after that is simply not there.
5000m: Caster Moving Up?
Caster Semenya is a story on its own. Opting out of
running the 800m at the Championships, she destroyed
the field in the women’s 1500m, and then did the same
to some big names in the 5000m. Wait, the 5000m?
This is an interesting discussion, but now that the CAS
(Court of Arbitration for Sport) has found in favour of
the IAAF – which will force Caster and other athletes
with high testosterone to go on medication if they want
to compete in the 400m to 1500m events – could she
be eyeing the 5000m? This is all speculation, but is a
distinct possibility.
Caster destroyed specialists Dominique Scott-Efurd and
Kesa Molotsane in the 5000m, also leaving the hugely
talented Glenrose Xaba in her wake. Her finishing time
of 16:05.97 is nothing to get excited about, but the
manner in which Caster ran is. Setting the pace for
most of the race, she left all but Dominique behind. The
American-based Olympian tried to attack at the bell, but
Caster accelerated with 300m to go and the race was
over. Dominique has clocked 15:04.14, but she does
A day later Caster won the 1500m race, clocking
4:13.59. It was effectively a time trial, as not one of the
other 10 athletes went with her. The winning margin,
16 seconds! That is a scary statistic and does not
bode well for South African women’s 1500m. Second
was junior Carmie Prinsloo in 4:29.55, with another
youngster, Nicole Louw, third in 4:32.47. Those times
are acceptable at junior level, but where are the other
senior women? We’ve had other women running 4:13 or
better in the past.
The Next Generation
The sport of athletics is at crossroads, because we
have pockets of excellence that deceive the general
outlook on the depth and state of the sport. No country
is dominant in all aspects of track and field, but it’s not
unreasonable to expect South Africa to excel in more
events. We have a history of solid performances and
depth in the men’s 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m and
10,000m, 400m hurdles, javelin and discus. So what
has happened to the next generation? The overall state
of our women’s athletics has also been higher in the
past than it is now.
South Africa has done reasonably well at World Youth
and World Junior Championships in the previous two
years, finishing top of the medal table in 2017 at the
World Youth Championships, and sixth at the World
U20 Championships. So on paper, things are looking
good for the future of the sport. However, the jump from
age group to senior ranks is never a given - all too often
promising youngsters do not do well at senior level –
and just as with the seniors, some of the medallists
doubled up, so the medal tables are a bit misleading.
That there is talent is not a question. How that talent is
developed will be crucial over the next few years.
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