South Africa’s young athletes are set to embark on their journey to the CAA African U18/U20 Combined Athletics Championships, and the team will be looking to successfully defend their crown when the event gets underway on Wednesday.
The team includes 14 girls in the U18 division and 19 women in the U20 age group. The junior women’s team includes multiple in-form athletes, led by the likes of Tumi Ramokgopa, who lines up in the U20 women’s 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles events, as well as Alicia Khunou, who goes in the junior women’s shot put, and sprinter Hannah Hope Vermaak who enters the blocks in the 100m and 200m sprints.
Among the U18 athletes in the team are SA senior women’s 200m champion Rume Burger, who is expected to put up a fight in the half-lap event.
“This is our final team, whose sole mandate is to defend the continental title and carry our honour in West Africa,” said James Moloi, the President of ASA. “We want this competition to produce us new champions, new records and world leads. The battle will not be easy and it never is, but we trust that the spirit of champions will carry us forward to reach the podium.”
Split into two because of flight availability, the first group of over 50 members took off at 3 am, while the second group is expected to leave around 6pm on Rwandan Airways. Due to the nature of their flight, the latter group will then have a sleepover in Kigali and resume the journey tomorrow morning.
A brief pre-departure meeting held at the OR Tambo Garden Court hotel in Isando, Kempton Park in Johannesburg, the various team managers, led by the Head of Delegation John Mathane – the newly elected Vice President of ASA, informed parents that their children are in good hands.
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The athletes, some of whom were nervous but excited, were addressed on the team protocols, security, general behaviour, their wellbeing, managing expectations and the contrasting weather conditions in West Africa.
The team includes various specialised coaches, a doctor, physiotherapists, massage therapists and skilled managers in different roles.
Original Copy: Athletics South Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: A 70-strong team of athletes full of confidence depart in two groups to defend their CAA U18/U20 continental crown at the CAA African U18/U20 Combined Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State in Nigeria, from 16-20 July 2025. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Split into two because of flight availability, the first group of over 50 members took off at 3 am, while the second group is expected to leave around 6pm on Rwandan Airways.
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