Ask Yourself Why … by NORRIE WILLIAMSON
ASK YOURSELF WHY …
Ask Yourself Why … by NORRIE WILLIAMSON
All So Avoidable
The recent SA 10km Championships delivered some fantastic performances , but also produced yet another case where our sport appeared to shoot itself in the foot !
The Motsepe Foundation Race to Equality in Johannesburg on 10 March featured half marathon and 10km distances , with the shorter race also playing host to the 2024 SA 10km Championships . As with most national championships in SA , by using an existing event to host the champs , there are in fact two races held simultaneously , an open event and the SA Champs race , with the latter being a closed race within the main race for provincially-selected athletes only , who must run in provincial colours ( the only time they may do so ).
The event offered substantial prize money , with a combined prize purse of R550,000 across the two distances and various age categories . This included a R20,000 first place prize in the 10km open race , with an additional R15,000 linked to the SA title , making it a potential top earner for SA ’ s best 10km athletes . Additionally , ( as explained in my March edition column ), winning the open race would earn an athlete three bonus World Athletics rankings points , while the SA Champion would gain an additional 45 bonus points !
In spite of the 1600m altitude and a hilly course , the competitive men ’ s 10km race saw four men break 30 minutes , with Mathews Leeto of Central North West taking the win in 29:26 , comfortably ahead of Bennet Seloyi ( Central Gauteng , 29:43 ), while Glenrose Xaba ( Gauteng North ) took the women ’ s win in 33:00 . However , when the SA Champs prize-giving took place , the TV commentary team , viewers and spectators alike were shocked to see second-placed Seloyi crowned men ’ s SA Champ .
Shortly after the race , social media churned out a variety of posts noting that Leeto had been disqualified . Only later was the ‘ breaking news ’ amended to clarify that the disqualification was only from the SA Championships , because he had failed to wear permanent ASA provincial licence numbers – he ran with a temporary licence number , in other words – but he was still the winner of the open event , in spite of wearing provincial colours . It ’ s not surprising everybody was confused , and this was just the start of a convoluted story !
Delving Deeper
Athletes can only be selected to represent their province if they are members of a club within their domicile province , and as a participating member of a club , the athlete is required to own a permanent license for that year . Provinces supply each club with license numbers , and the clubs then supply their members a set of licence numbers for front and back of their racing kit . The only other way an athlete can get a license number – directly from the province , versus a club – is if they are a National Athlete who wants to run for a national club outside that province , but they will still need a license from their domicile province .
To qualify for national status , athletes must have competed for South Africa in the Olympics , Senior World Track and Field Championships , World Marathon or World 100km Champs , or earned a gold medal in the Comrades Marathon in the last eight years . Specifically excluded – rightfully or wrongly , a debate for another day – are athletes who have represented SA at the African Games , World Cross Country Champs , World Road Running Championships , and any world age group championships . Therefore , in spite of having represented SA at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships , Leeto is not considered a national athlete under the current rules .
Mathews Leeto ( in green ) in action in the SA 10kmChamps
38 ISSUE 167 | www . modernathlete . co . za