South African women’s Steeplechase record in Bellville
Saturday 18 February 2006
Bellville, South Africa - Tebogo Mashela set the national women‘s 3000m Steeplechase record at the Athletics South Africa Track and Field Challenge meet at the Tygerberg Stadium on Friday (17).
Performances on the track were affected by a headwind on both the back and home straight, and in the absence many top athletes who took a break after the senior national championships last week, the spotlight went to the less prominent athletes.
Determined to regain the national record she lost to Nolele Conrad last week, Mashela took the lead right from the gun but Conrad responded by surging ahead after 1000m.
However, this time Conrad was in for a surprise. Mashela stepped up her pace midway through the race taking the lead and going on to win in 10:01.14. Mashela erased Conrad’s record of 10:05.30. Conrad was a distant second in 10:25:94, with Destiny Titus (10:46.09) placed third.
“Conrad beat me fair and square last week,” said a delighted Mashela. “This time I changed my strategy. Once you take the lead early and create a gap, those following have to work hard to close the gap. This strategy worked. I want to further improve this record at the Commonwealth Games next month.”
Meanwhile, in the field events Khotso Mokoena prevailed in the Triple Jump with a wind aided (+5.5) leap of 16.40m. Hannes Hopley (60.36) maintained his dominance in the men’s Discus Throw, as did Sunette Viljoen (55.26) in the women’s Javelin Throw.
Back on the track Lebogang Phalula (4:15.75) carried the day in the women’s 1500m in a career best of 4:15.75. Chanelle Olivier (4:16.12) and Britain’s Lisa Dobriskey (4:16.20) followed.
Later on Juan van Deventer (3:42.50) held of the challenge from Britain’s Adam Bowden (3:42.85) to win the men’s 1500m, as Johan Pretorius (3:43.40) finished third.
Elsewhere, the small British contingent which is training in South Africa had their moment of glory when Martyn Rooney clocked 45.99 to win the 400m from homeboys Ofentse Mogawane (46.33) and Reuben Majola (46.94).
Then 19-year-old new find Tsholofelo Selemela upstaged the South African champion Estie Wittstock in the women’s 400m. Running in lane three with Wittstock and Amanda Kotze in lanes one and two, Selemela got off to an explosive start, coasted on the back straight before her surge at 250m.
Although Wittstock narrows the gap in the closing staged of the race, her effort was not enough to prevent Selemela from celebrating her first victory at a national event. Selemela clocked a career best of 52.69, Wittstock (52.77) was second ahead of Kotze (53.18).
“I am happy today I did not run with all the tension of last week’s national championship,” said Selemela. “I was relaxed on the back straight even though I knew my main rivals where behind me in the inside lanes. If I can improve on this time I will have achieved my main goal this year. I am in the final year of high school so passing my metric examinations at the end of the year is more important.”
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
SELECTED LEADING RESULTS
NR denotes National Record
PB denotes Personal Best
NWR denotes no wind reading
Note All Athletes are South Africans unless otherwise mentioned
MEN
100m (-1.3)
1 Snyman Prinsloo 10.66
2 Sergio Mullins 10.68
3 Christiaan Krone 10.69
200m (-0.2)
1 Sergio Mullins 21.15
2 Paul Gorries 21.18
3 Snyman Prinsloo 21.28
400m
1 Martyn Rooney (GBR) 45.99
2 Ofentse Mogawane 46.33
3 Reuben Majola 46.94
110m Hurdles (-3.0)
1 Shaun Bownes 14.02
2 Frikkie van Zyl 14.22
3 Ruan de Vries 14.27
400m Hurdles
1 Pieter Koekemoer 50.56
2 Rhy Williams (GBR) 50.85
3 Johannes Hanekom 52.44
800m
1 Bonolo Maboa 1:49.47
2 Charles Jantjies 1:49.54
3 Sydney Mafologela 1:51.90
1500m
1 Juan van Deventer 3:42.50
2 Adam Bowden (GBR) 3:42.85
3 Johan Pretorius 3:43.40
Long Jump
1 Yaw Fosu-Amoah 7.53 (+1.4)
2 Darren Ritchie 7.39 (+3.0)
3 Driaan Cornelissen 7.00 (+1.8)
Triple Jump
1 Khotso Mokoena 16.40 (+5.5)
2 Jason Kidza 15.12 (+0.7)
Pole Vault
1 Fanie Jacobs 5.20
2 Brent Howell 4.50
Javelin
1 Lohan Rautenbach 74.36
2 Brian Erasmus 74.29
3 Jacques du Preez 58.75
Discus
1 Hannes Hopley 60.36
2 Janus Robberts 56.61
3 Chris Harmse 51.35
WOMEN
100m (-0.5)
1 Geraldine Pillay 11.56
2 Janice Josephs 11.60
3 Wendy Seegers 11.94
200m (-0.1)
1 Cindy Stewart 24.56
2 Wenda Theron 24.96
3 Alet van Wyk 25.31
400m
1 Tsholofelo Selemela 52.69 PB
2 Estie Wittstock 52.77
3 Amanda Kotze 53.18
1500m
1 Lebogang Phalula 4:15.75 PB
2 Chanelle Olivier 4:16.12
3 Lisa Dobriskey (GBR) 4:16.20
3000m Steeplechase
1 Tebogo Mashela 10:01.14 NR
2 Nolene Conrad 10:25.94
3 Destiny Titus 10:46.09
High Jump
1 Anika Smith 1.85
2 Marna Fourie 1.75
3 Chantelle Zeele 1.60
Pole Vault
1 Lindi Roux 4.00
2 Samatha Dodd 4.00
3 Sylma Jordaan 3.50
Javelin
1 Sunette Viljoen 55.26
2 Lindi Smit 50.75
3 Katie Renouf 28.87