Simpson vs Josephs

It is not only the fast growing Yellow Pages Ultimate Athletics that will be showcased on the track of Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch on Friday 2 March, but the South African Multi Events Championships take place on both the Friday and Saturday with athletes from all over Africa competing.

Of particular interest will be the clash between the African record holder, Margaret Simpson, and South Africa’s number one, Janice Josephs.

Simpson’s best for the seven discipline event is a total of 6423 points which she set up at the prestigious Gotzis Meeting in Austria in 2005. Simpson also claimed the Bronze Medal at the IAAF World Championships that year.

A two-time African Champion (2002 & 2004) and the All Africa Games Champion in 2003 Simpson should prove to be formidable opposition for Janice Josephs.

In fact, this could be the precursor to an epic Heptathlon competition between the two when they meet up again at the All Africa Games later in the year.

Josephs came to the fore in 2006 when she finished fifth at the Commonwealth Games. A natural sprinter and a long jumper, Josephs made a breakthrough when she ran a lifetime best in the 800m in Melbourne.

In the past she has relied on the 200m, 100m hurdles and long jump to see her through the competition.

Now with the newfound ability of running the 800m Josephs has an added another weapon to her arsenal.

“We know she will never be the best shot putter,” says her coach William Banks, “but her strengths lie in the speed based events, such as the 200m, 100m hurdles and the long jump.

“She has gradually been improving in the high jump and she will be able to gather more points by going 5cm higher in the high jump than she could ever achieve in the shot put.  So we will do the necessary for all the events but will obviously focus on her strengths.”

When comparing the lifetime best of the two it is clear just why Banks is concentrating on the sprints aspects and the high jump of the two-day competition.

Josephs 200m is over one second faster (23.15sec to 24.55sec), her 800m is a whopping 10 seconds faster (2:10;61 to 2:17;02), in the 100m hurdles she is one tenth of a second faster (13.30sec to 13.41sec).

Janice has also got 20cm on her rival in the long jump.  It is only in the Shot Put and the High Jump that Simpson has the edge.

The competition between Josephs and Simpson should be riveting and fans of athletics would do well take some time out and come and watch these two fight it out for the dominance of Africa.