Some of South Africa’s leading athletes will make their way to Secunda ahead of the Yellow Pages Series, to be held on Friday, 25 January.
Among them selected athletes will make an appearance at Secunda Primary Schools Prestige Athletics Meeting on Wednesday 23 January, at the Secunda Stadium, to show their support for the schools event.
Following this appearance the athletes will host a development clinic for local up and coming athletes from the Secunda area, on Thursday, 24 January. The clinic will also be held at the Secunda Stadium.
Elizna Naude is entered in the discus throw, and is a hot prospect, having won the SA title nine times since 1998, and is currently the SA record and 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medal holder.
Recently returned to South Africa from her extended Jamaican training stint is sprint sensation Geraldine Pillay, whose personal bests in the 110m and 200m are 11.07 sec and 22.78 sec respectively. Her international appearances include the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, All Africa Games and Africa championships.
Another leading prospect is Janice Josephs, who hails from the Boland area in the Cape. Josephs currently holds the SA record in the heptathlon, which she broke at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She was also a gold medallist at the 2007 All Africa Games.
Joseph’s international experience is vast, as with the other athletes, having competed in the Olympic Games in 2004, World Championships and World Junior Championships.
Poppy Mlambo, whose current discipline is the marathon, will be at the clinic coaching in the middle- and long-distance events. Mlambo hails from central Gauteng, and is the current SA marathon champion.
She too holds an extensive international career, ranging from World Student Games, World Cross Country Championships and World Road Running Championships.
President of Athletics South Africa (ASA) Leonard Chuene has thrown his full support behind the initiative. "Our athletes have asked ASA to arrange some of these clinics, so that they can promote the sport to the youth.
"Track and field is growing at a very fast pace, and I am thrilled that our athletes want to share their knowledge and experience with the youth of this country," said Chuene.
The President of Mpumalanga Athletics, Mr. Ben Makola said that the ASA development clinic will not be in vain, as the local athletes will gain valuable experience and knowledge which will be implemented as part of their preparation for the 2008 SA Games.
The development clinic on Thursday, 24 January will commence at 3 o’clock at the Secunda Stadium. Anyone wishing to attend the clinic should contact Estelle Opperman from the LOC on 082 923 4876.
The Yellow Pages Series meeting in Secunda takes place at the Secunda Stadium on Friday, 25 January, starting at 17h30. Tickets are available at the gate.
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