Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 62, September 2014

Andre Olivier, 800m Bronze Ma feature Medals and MORE Medals! South African Andrea Dalle Ave fourth), and a new 4x100m relay SA record set by Henricho Bruintjies, Simon Magakwe, Ncincilili Titi and Simbine Akani, but they were unlucky to finish fourth, just out of the medals. Khotso Mokoena, Triple Jump Gold Meanwhile, in Morocco, the highlights included a new Africa Champs record by Cheyne Rahme in the men’s pole vault, Sunette Viljoen claiming her fourth continental title in the women’s javelin, and a cleansweep of the podium in the men’s long jump as Zarck Visser, Khotso Mokoena and Ruswahl Samaai dominated proceedings! More golds came from Rikenette Steenkamp (women’s 100m hurdles), Wenda Nel (women’s 400m hurdles), Lebogang Shange (men’s 20km walk), Orazio Cremona (men’s shot put, with Jaco Engelbrecht bagging silver), and Victor Hogan (men’s discus, with Russell Tucker claiming silver). T eam SA came home from the Commonwealth Games in July-August in Glasgow, Scotland with a haul of 40 medals, the most medals since the country was readmitted to the Games in 1994, and finishing seventh on the medals table with 13 gold, 10 silver and 17 bronze medals. Of that total, nine medals came from athletics – three gold, four silver and nine bronze – and only swimming brought in more medals (12). Having barely caught their breaths after Glasgow, our athletes then flew straight to Marrakesh in Morocco for the African Championships in Athletics, and promptly returned to the number one position on the continent with a haul of 19 medals (10 gold, five silver and four bronze). In 2000, Team SA finished a disappointing ninth on the medals table at these Champs with just six medals, but at the next four meets, held every two years, we finished in first place on the table. In 2010 and 2012 SA finished third, due to claiming a few less golds, but the class of 2014 came roaring back to reclaim the continent crown. DOING THE DOUBLE A number of our athletes managed to bring back medals from both Glasgow and Marrakesh, led by Cornel Fredericks winning gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at both meets, and Khotso Mokoena doing the same in the men’s triple jump. Other double medallists were Zarck Visser (silver in Glasgow and g

Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 62, September 2014 | Page 18