Mokoka kicks past Juan to secure double
21 March 2010 (18:31)
Stephen Mokoka produced a stunning turn of speed to spring the surprise of the meeting and secure a rare double on day two of the Yellow Pages South African Athletics Championships at Kings Park on Sunday.
Mokoka, who had set a personal best in the 1 500m heats and won the 10 000m final within 90 minutes on Saturday, outsprinted Olympic finalist Juan van Deventer to win the metric mile in 3:38.55, improving his personal record by another four seconds.
After taking control early on, Mokoka was passed by Van Deventer, who dragged the rest of the field past him at the bell, and Mokoka appeared to have fallen out of contention. But with less than 100m to go he tore past on the outside to clinch gold by 0.18 seconds.
“The first lap was slow, so I went to the front and picked up the pace,” Mokoka said after the race.
“There was lots of pushing at the front, so with a lap to go I let them go past, but I knew I had enough left to catch them again.”
Rene Kalmer added the 1 500m title to the gold she won over 5 000m on Saturday, pulling clear of twin sisters Lebo and Lebogang Phalula to take victory in 4:08.61.
Ruben Ramolefi made a brave attempt at his national 3 000m steeplechase record, but eventually fell well short in a solo effort, while Tebogo Masehla was made to work hard in defence of her women’s title.
Ramolefi went out hard from the start in a pre-planned attempt to better his 8:11:63 South African record but, with nobody to help with the pace, he missed the mark by more than 10 seconds, although he retained his national title in 8:21:74. Edwin Molepo was second in 8:38:53.
Two seconds ahead of schedule with three laps to go, Ramolefi said he had taken his foot off the pedal.
“I think I slowed down too much when I realised I was ahead of the plan, and that‘s where I lost it,” he said.
“It’s very hard to get back on schedule once you fall behind.”
Myrette Filmalter almost caused an upset after Masehla also went after her national record of 9:55:11 in the women’s race.
She gradually closed the gap which Masehla had opened early on and eventually caught and passed the defending champion going over the water jump with a little less than 1 000m to go.
But Masehla held on and regained the lead on the last lap, pulling away to win in 10:00.84. Filmalter improved her personal best by more than 10 seconds, taking the silver medal in 10:03:07.
Cindy Stewart secured the women’s sprint double, winning the 100m in 11.57 and returning three hours later to clinch gold over 200m in 23.42.
Thuso Mpuang retained his men’s 200m title in 20.57, narrowly defeating Wilhelm van der Vyver by 0.03 seconds, with Simon Magakwe defending his 100m title in 10.22.
Sunette Viljoen produced the most impressive performance in the throwing events, which were negatively affected by a strong wind, with a 63.45m season’s best to win the women’s javelin. Tazmin Brits sprung a surprise to take the silver medal (56.18m) ahead of former African champion Justine Robbeson who placed third in 55.90m.
Hardus Pienaar set a season’s best to win the men’s javelin throw with a best effort of 79.22m, relegating defending champion Robert Oosthuizen to second place with a best of 77.80m.
Commonwealth women’s discus champion Elizna Naude was nowhere near top form - falling more than seven metres short of her season’s best - but nonetheless won her event comfortably with a best distance of 57.47m.
Another Commonwealth champion, however, fell prey to a new rule that no longer allows athletes a warning in the case of a false start. LJ van Zyl left his blocks early in the men’s 400m hurdles final and was forced to watch from the sidelines as 20-year-old Cornel Fredericks secured gold in a personal best 49.70.
Six athletes reached the A qualifying standards in their events for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October, bringing the tally of South African qualifiers to 15, including those who had already met the standards before the national championships.
RESULTS
Men: 100m:
1 Simon Magakwe (ACNW) 10.22
2 Leigh Julius (EPA) 10.31
3 Thuso Mpuang (AFS) 10.36
200m:
1 Thuso Mpuang (AFS) 20.57
2 Wilhelm van der Vyver (BOLA) 20.60
3 Simon Magakwe (ACNW) 20.74
400m:
1 Ofentse Mogawana (ANWN) 45.89
2 Sibusiso Sishi (CGA) 46.09
3 Willie de Beer (AGN) 46.86
800m:
Ettienne Plaatjies (ACNW) 1:47.67
2 William Mothosola (AFS) 1:48.20
3 Jan Masanamela (AMPU) 1:48.21
1 500m:
1 Stephen Mokoka (AGN) 3:38.55
2 Juan van Deventer (CGA) 3:38.73
3 Pharson Magagane (LIMA) 3:39.50
5 000m:
1 Tshamano Setone (CGA) 13:45.71
2 Elroy Gelant (ACNW) 13:45.84
3 Olebogeng Masire (ACNW) 13:46.32
10 000m:
1 Stephen Mokoka (AGN) 28:18.54
2 Gladwin Mzazi (AVT) 28:20.40
3 Lungisa Mdedelwa (ATRA) 28:32.18
110m hurdles:
Andre Storm (ACNW) 13.86
2 Louw Smit (BOLA) 14.01
3 Ruan de Vries (AGN) 14.19
400m hurdles:
1 Cornel Fredericks (BOLA) 49.70
2 Wouter le Roux (AGN) 50.34
3 Johan Hanekom (AGN) 51.23
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Ruben Ramolefi (CGA) 8:21.74
2 Edwin Molopo (ACNW) 8:38.53
3 Tisetso Masehla (CGA) 8:51.23
20km walk:
1 Thami Hlatwayo (AGN) 1:30:46
2 Pierre de Villiers (CGA) 1:35:26
3 Werner Appel (CGA) 1:35:28
Decathlon:
1 Sors Joubert (BOLA) 7 323
2 Zavion Kotze (ACNW) 6 665
3 Willem de Bruin (CGA) 6 539
High jump:
1 Calvin-Lee Maclangwe (CGA) 2.15
2 Hurbert de Beer (AGN) 2.10
3 Ruan Claasen (CGA) 2.05
Pole vault:
Johan du Plessis (BOLA) 4.80
2 Riaan Botha (AGN) 4.80
3 Eben Beukes (CGA) 4.70
Long jump:
1 Khotso Mokoena (AGN) 8.01
2 Keenan Watson (WPA) 7.75
3 Zarck Visser (CGA) 7.70
Triple jump:
1 Tumelo Thagane (ACNW) 17.05
2 Rodger Haitengi (CGA) 16.14
3 Charles le Roux (AGN) 15.85
Shot put:
1 Roelie Potgieter (AGN) 19.38
2 Burger Lambrechst (AGN) 18.46
3 Orazio Cremona (AGN) 17.87
Discus throw:
1 Victor Hogan (BOLA) 55.93
2 Dean Wattrus (ACNW) 53.60
3 Dewald van Heerden (CGA) 52.69
Hammer throw:
1 Chris Harmse (AFS) 73.54
2 Johan Kruger (BOL) 60.39
3 Douw Steenkamp (AMPU) 60.18
Javelin throw:
1 Hardus Pienaar (AGN) 79.22
Robert Oosthuizen (BOLA) 77.80
3 Tobie Holtzhauzen (ACNW) 71.94
Women: 100m:
Cindy Stewart (EPA) 11.57
2 Carina Horn (AGN) 11.74
3 Stacey Gardiner (INWPA) 11.83
200m:
1 Cindy Stewart (EPA) 23.42
2 Carina Horn (AGN) 23.86
3 Sonja van der Merwe (WPA) 24.30
400m:
1 Estie Wittstock (AGN) 52.72
2 Alet van Wyk (AGN) 53.66
3 Sonja van der Merwe (WPA) 54.06
800m:
Maphaseka Makhanya (CGA) 2:04.07
2 Mandi Brand (CGA) 2:05.90
3 Anuscha Nice (AGN) 2:06.92
1 500m:
1 Rene Kalmer (CGA) 4:08.61
2 Lebogang Phalula (CGA) 4:11.10
3 Lebo Phalula (CGA) 4:13.98
5 000m:
1 Rene Kalmer (CGA) 15:51.32
2 Lebo Phalula (CGA) 15:58.34
3 Thozama April (AGN) 16:12.69
10 000m:
1 Irvette van Blerk (CGA) 34:20.17
2 Thozama April (AGN) 34:35.27
3 Mpho Mabuza (CGA) 35:05.62
100m hurdles:
Rikanette Steen amp (AGN) 13.66
2 Janet Wienand (BOLA) 13.70
3 Janice Josephs (BOLA) 14.13
400m hurdles:
1 Wenda Theron (AGN) 57.32
2 Mariska Meintjies (AVT) 59.51
3 Jana Theron (ACNW) 59.79
3 000m steeplechase:
1 Tebogo Masehla (CGA) 10:00.84
2 Myrette Film alter (AGN) 10:03.07
3 Nolene Conrad (CGA) 10:35.52
20km walk:
1 Susan Swanepoel (AGN) 1:50:22
2 Nomsa Buthelezi (CGA) 1:52:01
3 Michelle Hopkins (CGA) 1:53:19
Heptathlon:
1 Janet Wienand (BOLA) 5 043
2 Bianca Erwee (ACNW) 4 650
3 Bianca Erasmus (AGN) 4 300
High jump:
1 Marcoleen Pretorius (ACNW) 1.75
2 Rene Oosthuizen (AGN) 1.75
3 June Roelofse (AGN) 1.70
Pole vault:
1 Deone Joubert (CGA) 3.80
2 Honorata Saar (AGN) 3.70
3 Monique van Noordwyk (BOL) 3.60
Long jump:
1 Janice Josephs (BOLA) 6.32
2 Delia Smith (AMPU) 6.19
3 Patience Ntshingila (ACNW) 6.18
Triple jump:
1 Patience Ntshingila (ACNW) 12.83
2 Cindy Peters (CGA) 12.68
3 Kelly Kingwell (CGA) 12.23
Shot put:
1 Bianca van Rooyen (CGA) 14.03
Sonia Smuts (AGN) 13.81
3 Justine Robbeson (ACNW) 13.39
Discus throw:
1 Elizna Naude (AGN) 57.47
2 Maryke Oberholzer (AGN) 48.49
3 Simone Meyer (KZNA) 46.59
Hammer throw:
1 Annemie Smith (ASWD) 52.75
2 Karin le Roux (BOL) 52.03
3 Magdaleen Louw (EPA) 50.00
Javelin throw:
1 Sunette Villon (ACNW) 63.45
2 Tazmin Brits (ACNW) 56.18
3 Justine Robbeson (ACNW) 55.90