Athletics South Africa (23/06/2007)

The Athletics South Africa (ASA) has released the list of 49 top young athletes for the 5th IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic next month.

South Africa hopes to improve from its’ sixth position in the last edition of the championships to a possible top five position, as the best youth athletes in the world, born in 1990, 1991 and 1992, gather in Ostrava from the 11th to 15 July.

Coming off the recent incredible medal haul at the Southern Region Youth Track and Field Championships in Mozambique where South Africa won 48 out of a possible 49 medals, the team of 49 athletes will depart for Ostrava on 7 July.

Amongst the big hopefuls for medals are Cornel Fredericks and PC Beneke in the 400mH who between them have recorded the top 4 times in the World this year.

Fredericks may have surprisingly succumbed to Beneke at the SA Youth Championships in April this year but his almost 2sec win margin at the Southern Region Youth Championships shows he is back to his old devastating form.

Much is also expected from Shot Putter Stefan Brink who bettered his lifetime best by a mammoth 85cm at the Southern Region Youth Championships.

Brink is inspired by the Gold won in 2005 by JP Hoffman and wants to keep the title in South Africa.

His 19.93m throw would have given him the Bronze medal in 2005 and with such a massive improvement, there is no reason not to believe that come the big day he will unleash a big throw at the World Championships.

Similarly, Tazmin Brits will rate her chances high of bringing home at least a medal if not the Gold. At the Southern Region Youth Championships Brits threw 56.55m to improve her best by over 4m.

In the 2005 World Youth Championships the title was won with a throw of 56.66m, giving rise to the hope that Brits will become one of South Africa’s top Javelin throwers in the future.

Indeed top javelin coach Tertius Liebenberg rates her right up there with Justine Robbeson who is beginning to make inroads into the World Rankings.

It is also expected that athletes such as Neo Marie (Triple Jump), Folavia Sehohle (1500m) and Jerry Motsau (2000m SC) will do well in their respective events.

Full team delegation list:

OFFICIALS

• Molatelo Malehopo (Team Manager)
• Diane Sandford (Team Manager)
• Humile Bogatsu (Administrator)
• Elna de Beer (Jumps)
• Vusi Madlala (Distances)
• Letitia Muller (Throws)
• Ally Mahomed (Sprints)
• Godfrey Sepuru (Physiotherapist)
• Dan Ntseke (Physiotherapist)
• Theo Koen (Doctor)

YOUTH BOYS

• Patrick Vosloo (100m & 200m) AVT
• Moeketsi Galasikwe (100m) AFS
• Dean Swart (200m & 400m) BOL
• Heinrich Maartins (400m) AVT
• Marnus Koekemoer (800m) AGN
• Xolani Mabhida (800m) KZNA
• Folavia Sehohle (1500m) CGA
• Tibetso Masetla (1500m) CGA
• Sityhilo Diko (3000m) ATRA
• Vuyisle Tshoba (3000m) CGA
• Abednego Mamuschi (110m H)
• Ettiene Grobler (110m H) AGN
• PC Beneke (400m H) AFS
• Cornel Fredericks (400m H) BOL
• Dewald bekker (10km Walk) AGN
• Willem Voigt (HJ) ASWD
• Dawid Greef (HJ) KZNA
• Cheyne Rahme (PV) CGA
• Eben Beukes (PV) AFS
• Stefan Brits (LJ) CGA
• Boipelo Motlhatlhego (TJ) AGN
• Neo Marie (TJ) AVT; Stephan Brink (SP) ANWN
• Ryno van Winkel (SP) AVT
• Jason Smith (Discus) ANWN
• Micqel le Roux (Hammer) WPA
• Adriaan van der Merwe (Javelin) BOL
• Ulrich Damon (Javelin) WPA
• Willem le Roux ( Combined Events) AGN
• Jerry Motsau (2000m ST) CGA
• William Motshosala (2000m ST) AFS.

YOUTH GIRLS

• Alyssa Conley (100m, 200m) CGA
• Bevan Smith (100m & 200m) CGA
• Sonja van der Merwe (400m) WPA
• Marisa Smith (400m) CGA
• Precious Mnisi (800m) AMPU
• Nandi Meyer (800m) CGA
• Marli Spies (100m H & 400m H) AMPU
• Ansuret Potgieter (100m H) AFS
• Anneri Ebersohn (400m H) AFS
• June Roelofse (HJ) AGN
• Celeste Rietels (LJ) WPA
• Rozanne Oescher (TJ) AGN
• ElzaanMostert (SP) WPA
• Lindi Liebenburg (Discus) BOR
• Suriette Botha (Discus) AGN
• Tazman Brits (Javelin) ACNW
• Leanka Steyn (Javelin) AFS
• Marizette Badenhorst (Hammer) AFS.