MEDAL HOPES FOR KZN ATHLETES IN PMB
KwaZulu-Natal athletes may well be within reach of three gold medals or at least podium finishes during the four-day ASA Senior, Combined Events and Relays Championships at Msunduzi Athletics Stadium in Pietermaritzburg from today.
Middle-distance runners will spearhead the KZN Athletics team as favourites to put up a fight to don golden medals.
While she won’t be competing in her preferred 800m race, Prudence Sekgodiso lines up in both the women’s 1 500m and 5 000m.
And in the absence of Sekgodiso, in-form athlete Gena Lofstrand — fresh from a win at the last leg of the Athletics Grand Prix Series in Johannesburg — will hope to clinch the two-lap national title, which has eluded her since she won it as a teenager in 2013.
Over longer distances, national five-kilometre road running champion Tayla Kavanagh will be targeting a medal in the women’s 5 000m final as she aims to join Sekgodiso in a double podium charge for the host province over 12-and-a-half laps.
And although he might be better known for his efforts over the 800m and 1 500m distances, Tshepo Tshite will also fancy his chances in the men’s 5 000m event. In addition, former SA champion Zakithi Nene and national
U23 champion Amy Naude will be gunning for medals in the men’s and women’s 400m sprints.
Local fans will no doubt be treated to a yummy festival feast of athletics which end on Sunday, April 21.
The main programme on today’s opening day of competition will begin at 8.30 am.
The championships are sponsored by Tiger Brand, KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and aQuellé. — ASA.
WHERE TO WATCH ON SUPERSPORT:
Today – Variety 4 - 12.40 pm - 5 pm
Tomorrow – Variety 4 - 2.25 pm - 5.45 pm Saturday – Variety 4 - 2.15 pm - 5.15 pm Sunday – Variety 4 - Morning Session: 9.15 am 11.45 am; Afternoon Session: 12.45 pm - 4.10 pm.