SA can expect a serious bunfight in the 100m, 200m at national champs

JOHANNESBURG: WORLD 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of next month’s South African Senior Championships in Potchefstroom, openly saying he is going after both the 100m and 200m titles.

Although Van Niekerk, pictured, has previously stated he would be racing the double, it is the first time he has made such a strong statement.

SA can expect a serious bunfight in both the short sprint and the half-lap event at the national championships on 21 and 22 April.

National 100m record-holder Akani Simbine and world 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana have both expressed their intentions to challenge for the double as well.

Both races could produce significant results, judging by recent performances at track events around the country.

Over the weekend Thando Roto became SA’s fifth sprinter to dip below 10 seconds and the country’s second fastest man, clocking 9.95 seconds when he finished second behind Simbine at the Athletics Gauteng North Championships.

The duo made history as the first SA men to dip below 10 seconds in the same race with Simbine’s time of 9.92secs ranked the best time by a local athlete on home soil.

Simbine, who ran his 10th sub-10 over the weekend, predicted the 100m final at the national championships could be not only one of the best races in SA, but also by global standards.

“It is going to be huge (the SA Championships), a couple of records are going to fall there, I feel like history is going to be made there and more than two guys are going to go sub-10 in that race,” Simbine said.

“It will probably (be) one of the best 100m races in the world and not just in South Africa.”

Four of the current crop of sprinters have dipped below 10 seconds – Simbine, Van Niekerk, Roto, and Henricho Bruintjies – while Jobodwana and Olympic juniors Clarence Munyai, and Gift Leotlela are knocking on the door.

Leotlela set a new junior national 100m record over the weekend when he clocked 10.12s to shave 0.07 off Simbine’s previous mark, and he has set his sights on the world junior record of 9.97.

Former national record-holder Bruintjies is the reigning 100m champion and said he had no intention of conceding his title without a fight.

“Like all the president’s men, every year you want to be re-elected, so I want to go out and defend my title again,” Bruintjies said.

The 200m final could be equally exciting with Munyai hoping to defend his title, while he is looking to become only the second junior ever to dip below 20 seconds.

Cue the country’s only three sub-20 second runners – Jobodwana, Simbine, and Van Niekerk – while former champion Ncincilili Titi has some unfinished business.

Fireworks should be expected if Leotlela, who is the world junior 200m silver medallist, also lines up in the half-lap sprint.