National Records, World Championships qualification times and big upsets at first ASA Grand Prix Meet of 2025
One of the hallmarks of a world class athlete is just how easy they can make the difficult things look. The only South African women to break 2 minutes indoors shone outdoors as she cantered to a 1:59.01 victory in the women’s 800m at last night’s Athletics South Africa Grand Prix Meet which took place at the Pilditch Athletics Stadium. Hardly out of breath as she crossed the finish line, the 2024 Olympic finalist declared herself ready for next week's World Indoor Championships in China.
"I actually prefer running indoors to running outdoors. It feels amazing! The track is short and those four laps end quickly. I don’t want to give people false hope and promise anything, but I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can come back with a medal."
Finishing less than half a second behind Sekgodišo was her training partner Oratile Nowe of Botswana, whose 1:59.46 clocking was a new national record. Nowe's new mark wasn't the only national record delivered during the entertaining first instalment of this two-stop World Continental Tour Challenger Series. Leandri Haltzhausen went beyond her personal best as sent the hammer out to 67.95 meters to eclipse her own hammer throw SA record. Although pleased with her performance, the University of Johannesburg athlete
"I feel quite good but I'm not yet satisfied as I want to achieve much greater distances. I know for a fact that I can produce much better performances in the future. It's just about timing and obviously how badly I want to improve myself as a hammer thrower. At the moment, I just want try and get close to 70m as possible. If throw over 70m, it can really open up doors for me regarding the World Athletics Championships and maybe a few Diamond Leagues. I'm motivated," said the University of Johannesburg athlete.
In addition to national records the action in the City of Tshwane also produced one World Championships qualification time. Running against Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo and Olympic 400m semi-finalist Zakhithi Nene, Bayapo Ndori of Botswana came out on top. He stopped the clock in 44.59 to dip under the 44.85 qualification standard as Tebogo finished strongly to grab second place (45.42) ahead of Nene (45.42) in a photo finish.
In the men's 100m, pre-race favourite Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya was shocked by 18-year-old Karabo Letebele from Vanderbijlpark. The product of Höerskool Transvalia's Hermann Venske, Letebele ran a lifetime best 10.19 to win the tight race ahead of African Championships 4x100m relay gold medalist Emile Erasmus (10.19) and the African record holder Omanyala (10.22). The final ASA Grand Prix Meet of 2025 takes place at the University of Johannesburg Stadium on 19 March where former long jump World Champion Luvo Manyoga is expected to make his long awaited return to the highest level of local competition.
Comments