TRACK & FIELD
Yet More Hurdling Talent
While Marioné Fourie and Taylon Bieldt have captured all the media attention this year for their 100m hurdling exploits , there is another SA hurdler somewhat flying under the radar but equally deserving of coverage . Having clocked 13.18 this year , 22-year-old Antoinette van der Merwe is now sitting ninth on the all-time list of SA performers in the 100m hurdles , but due to being based in the USA since 2021 while studying at the University of Clemson in South Carolina , her results do not enjoy much coverage in her home country .
While Antoinette competes in the short sprints , hurdles as well as relays for her university , racing up to 400m , it is her hurdling performances that see her included in this article . In 2017 she was crowned SA Under-18 Champion , and then finished fifth at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Nissau . In 2019 she won the SA Under-20 title , finished second at the African Under-20 Champs , and was also runner-up at the SA Senior Champs . ( She also won the SA Under-20 title in the 200m dash , and silver at the African Under-20 Champs .)
Antoinette currently boasts personal bests of 11.49 ( 100m ), 23.53 ( 200m ) and that 13.18 for the 100m hurdles . It has been suggested that she may eventually focus on the longer 400m hurdles event , but if she can harness her straight sprint speed to bring her 100m hurdles time down still more , she could possibly become the fifth South African woman to go sub-13 .
“ When you ’ re trying to make a career out of track , you look at the bigger picture , so for me it was to constantly keep improving ”
Junior Set to Fly Higher
Images : Reg Caldecott , Barco Greeff
Judging by her results , hurdling seems part of 18-yearold Chané Kok ’ s genetic structure . The Tuks BCom Business Management first year student won gold in the 100m hurdles during the South African Junior Championships in Pietermaritzburg in April , and added a silver medal at the SA Senior Champs in Potchefstroom a week later . Then in May , she represented South Africa at the Confederation of African Athletics ( CAA ) Championships in Lusaka , Zambia , and won the gold medal in the Under-20 women ’ s final .
In fact , hurdling seems to be a family thing , as Chané ’ s aunt , Vanessa Becker ( Eksteen ), was also a fast hurdler in her heyday , finishing fifth in the 400m hurdles at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Paris and going on to become SA Under-23 champion . However , Chané credits her mother as the one who inspired her to take up hurdling . “ It might sound strange when I say my mom is my role model , but she is genuinely a fantastic woman . If I can one day be half the woman she is , I will be happy . My mom used to be a keen hurdler when she was at school and set a best time of 14.10 in the 100m hurdles . My challenge was to see if I could be faster . At long last , I got to be faster than my mom when I clocked 13.81s at the national junior champs .”
Steady Improvement
Coming into the 2023 season , Chané had clocked a best at senior level of 14.08 for the 100m hurdles , doing so once each in 2021 and 2022 . ( She had broken 14 seconds before , posting a 13.77 best in 2020 , but that was as a junior , racing over lower hurdles .) She began this season with several 14-second times , but then in mid-March , at the Gauteng North Champs in Pretoria , she flew to a 13.88 , followed two weeks later by a 13.81 to win the title at the SA Under-20 Champs in Pietermaritzburg .
A week later she clocked 13.86 to finish runner-up at the SA Senior Champs in Potchefstroom , and two weeks after that , posted a new PB 13.79 as she finished third at the ASA Athletic Grand Prix in Pretoria . Then on the first of May , she was in action at the African Under-20 Championships in Zambia and took the continental title with a 14.29 in the final , and just four days later equalled her 13.79 PB as she finished third at the USSA Championships in Bloemfontein .
What is impressive about Chané ’ s performance is the fact that she took an eight-month break from athletics last year , but it was not because she was injured . “ It had always been a dream of mine to play for Hoërskool Garsfontein ’ s first netball team when I was in matric , and I am grateful that my coaches allowed me to do so ,” she explains . However , Chané did not just ‘ make up the numbers ’ on the court , and her performances playing goal defence saw her get selected to play provincially .
Still , Chané never had any doubt as to what she would be focusing on this year , because hurdling is what gets her adrenaline pumping , and being selected for the African Champs fulfilled another of her sporting dreams . “ Since I started running , I dreamt of the day I would get an opportunity to don the coveted ‘ green and gold ’ and represent South Africa internationally . The African Champs in Lusaka were therefore a first for me , and I went there thinking it would make it truly special I could medal in the 100m hurdles .” She came into the meet with the fastest time for a junior in Africa this year , and duly lived up to her top billing by not just medalling , but claiming the gold .
The basis of this article was supplied by the Department of Sport ( TuksSport ) at the University of Pretoria . To find out more about their sporting clubs and facilities , go to www . up . ac . za / tukssport .
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