If the young primary and high school athletes at the provincial athletics event recently held in Potchefstroom had one thing in mind, it was the famous Olympic slogan: “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. In many of the track and field events at the two-day meet at the world-famous Kenneth McArthur Stadium, records were either equalled or downright tumbled. The event was jointly backed by the Departments of Education and, Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation.
Boys and girls from Dr Kenneth Kaunda District were on fire over the two days. They blitzed their way to the top of the table in the Primary and High Schools competitions which were held on two successive days. On both days the log standings were a mirror image, with Bojanala second, Ngaka Modiri Molema third and Dr Ruth Mompati consistently placed fourth.
The future champions on both days made the task look easy as they were fighting for places in Team North West. Qualifying athletes in the Primary Schools section will represent the Province at the national athletics event in Pietermaritzburg from March 19 – 21. Their elder High School brothers and sisters will be at the national event in Germiston in April.
In the Primary Schools contest two provincial records were broken, while one was equalled. In the 150m Under-12 Boys hurdles, Reuben Smit went home with a new record of 20.91 (21.13), while he equalled Richardt Jourbert’s 2022 previous of 11.4 in the 75m Under-12 Boys hurdles.
In the Under 12 Boys high jump, Benyamin Kriek soared higher than his counterparts at 1.52, in the process beating DC Theron’s 2015 record of 1.50. However, it was the High Schools contests that proved to be a spectacle to behold. What with a whooping 56 records broken and only one equalled.
Three of the stars of the show broke their own records. They were 15-year-old Carli Visser (90 metres hurdles) who outdid her own 2022 performance, clocking 13.27 from a previous 13.34. In a remarkable execution, Kate-Lynn Fourie equalled Visser’s previous. In another jaw-dropping performance, Henrico Kruger (Under-15, 1 500m) shaved his own previous record from 05:10.10 in 2022 to 04:52.63.
Equally illustrious was Bojanala’s 16-year-old Temoso Masikane, a long jumper. The serial record-breaker was on song as he got the crowd to clap with him as a build-up to his new North West record of 7.54, beating his own previous of 7.18. The teen got the crowd clapping louder and faster, in awe of his breathtaking performance.
After his stunner, the 2021/2 South African Championships Silver medallist had this to say: “It feels really great when things go according to plan. The weather conditions were great.” Parent Natha Gulmini from Hartebeespoort Dam was one of the spectators who were impressed with the athletics meet. “The event was well-organised and the vibe was very good.” She is mother to Juliana Gulmini, who came first in the Girls Under-10 contest.
With sterling performances like those witnessed at the Potchefstroom meet, there is little doubt that we will one day see one or more of the athletes at future Olympic events.
