Motunde Smith
World University Games champion Stephen Mokoka was the stand-out performer of the two-day South African Athletics Championships in Stellenbosch with a national record and World lead in the men’s 5000m on Saturday.
Mokoka, who won the men’s 10,000m in 28:15.56 on Friday at the Coetzenburg Stadium, went out hard and smashed the 20-year-old mark held by Shadrack Hoff in a time of 13:11.44, bagging the the World Championships qualifying time in the process.
Hoff had set the previous mark of 13:14.16 in Gateshead, England in 1995.
In other events, Commonwealth and African bronze medallist Rushwal Samaai sets a new PB in the men’s long jump with a leap of 8.38m (+1.4), sending him to second on the national all-time list and sixth on the African all-time list.
African and Commonwealth silver medallist Wayde van Niekerk won the 400m in a season’s best of 44.91, while 19-year-old Jon Seeliger sets a PB of 45.85 for second place.
In the men’s short sprints, Akani Simbine and Anaso Jobodwana took the national titles with Simbine clocking 10.25 (-2.1) in the 100m and Jobodwana sealing a World Championships spot with a 20.35 (-0.1) in the 200m.
Sunette Viljoen won the women’s javelin with a throw of 64.14m; Caster Semenya took the women’s 800m title in 2:05.05, Johan Cronje won the men’s 1500m in 3:37.93 ahead of Dumisani Hlaselo 3:38.38; and Lebo Phalula took the women’s 1500m title in 4:14.43.
Khotso Mokoena won the men’s triple jump with 16.63m (+1.5) and Carina Horn took the women’s 100m title in 11.40 (-2.1) with Justine Palframan claiming the 200m in 23.26 (-2.2) and the 400m in 52.49.
LJ Van Zyl and Wenda Nel won the men and women 400m hurdles in 49.29 and 55.27 seconds respectively. Andre Olivier won the men’s 800m in 1:46.02 and Dikotsi Lekopa took the steeple in a personal best time of 8:32.17.
