Series will keep athletes sharp
NEW THREE-LEG EVENT ANNOUNCED BY ASA Good preparation for Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Though 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk will be sidelined by a knee injury, the country’s top sprinters believe there is sufficient depth for them to prepare on the domestic circuit ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games.
A new three-leg Athletix Grand Prix series was announced by Athletics SA yesterday, to be held shortly before the Gold Coast Games in April, and while the qualifying window was set to close early next year, athletes were relieved to be given an opportunity to sharpen up at home.
“It’ll be good preparation for us ahead of the Commonwealth Games,” said national 100m record holder and Olympic finalist Akani Simbine.
“I’m sure everybody wants to be sharp and ready, and this gives us the opportunity to do so.”
Former World Championships 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana was also eager to line up against his compatriots in the new series, after bouncing back from lengthy injury troubles to clock a 100m season’s best of 10.16 in Pretoria last month.
“Injuries have been holding me back for a little while, but the Commonwealth Games are super early (in the season) so this Grand Prix series gives me a chance to compete against the best,” Jobodwana said.
“When you line up against the best you bring out your best performances, and if you don’t, you can go back to the drawing board and see what you’re missing.”
The three Grand Prix meetings were set to be held in Roodepoort, Pretoria and Paarl in March.
Most of SA’s elite athletes were expected to compete, and international athletes were due to be unveiled closer to the campaign.
While no corporate backing had yet been confirmed by the promoters, more than R1.3 million in prize money was announced, making it the most lucrative track and field series in SA in recent years and the first campaign of its kind since the last edition of the Yellow Pages Series was held in 2012.