With more than 140 days to go, Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced a provisional team to represent South Africa in Osaka, Japan in August this year, at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
“It is a team that has immense potential,” said ASA president, Leonard Chuene. “When we returned from Helsinki in 2005, our strategy was to go back to basics, and start investing in our youth.
“That strategy proved successful at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and it’s a strategy that we hope will also work in Osaka.”
Janice Josephs (Long Jump) is among the more experienced athletes upon whom the responsibility rests to lead, provide encouragement and guidance to the younger contingent in the team.
Talking to gsport about her inclusion in the provisional team, Janice Joseph said “I feel in good shape, I feel like I can really do something, but it’s still early season, but I really want to do something huge this year.
“I’m excited about the long jump,” Joseph said. “I’ll work at my best event to medal in, or get to the finals, at least come home with a result, that’s my main thing.
“I’m 6:62m now consistently, and both my jumps were against the wind in terrible weather. I’m hoping to break the South African record still in this year, and I’m hoping to get close to 7 metres still in this year.”
Justine Robbeson is also proving to be a fearsome competitor, sending her javelin over 60m five times in European competition during 2006.
The 60m mark is considered the bench mark in world javelin; you are considered a serious contender once you go over that distance.
Justine opened 2007 with a throw of 62.51m in Potchefstroom, and has since then gone over 60m in every competition, winning the South African championships and the South African Student Championships.
Her goal this year is 63m, and the way she is improving (having gone 66m in training) there is no reason why she should not be successful.
A throw of 63m would have placed Justine in the top five of the 2005 world championships, and her best years can be in the 2009 -2012 period.
Elizna Naude has gradually improving been over the years, and 2007 is a watershed year for her.
At the 5th Yellow Pages Ultimate Athletics in Stellenbosch, Elizna Naude announced to the world that a new player was in the mix.
Her first throw landed at 64.87m – good enough for silver at the 2005 World Championships.
That throw was not a fluke; the leaner and stronger figure of Naude has been throwing over 60m every time she stepped into the competition circle.
And what do our athletes want on the day? “I just want clear weather on that day that I jump,” Josephs said. “I don’t want wind behind me, I want a good jump to be legit.”
The provisional women’s team to the IAAF World Championship Team:
Janice Josephs (Long Jump)
Tebogo Masehla (3000m Steeple Chase)
Elizna Naude (Discuss)
Justine Robbeson (Javelin)
Poppy Mlambo (Marathon)
Tanith Maxwell (Marathon)
Read more about these athletes on gsport:
Janice Josephs:
From Cashier to African Queen
SuperFit Sensation: Janice Josephs
Teboho Masehla:
Coetzenburg To Come Alive
Elizna Naude:
February gSTAR: Elizna Naude
Justine Robbeson:
Robbeson Claims Osaka in Potch
Javelin Champs to Slug it Out
SA Athletes Queue Up for Osaka
Poppy Mlambo:
Changing Perceptions: SA Marathon Champ, Poppy Mlambo
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