Athletics Africa Magazine

While South Africa's top sprinters are expected to steal the show and experienced campaigners are favoured to dominate other disciplines, a number of junior prospects and resurgent stars are aiming to cause upsets at the ASA Senior and Combined Events Championships in Potchefstroom on Friday and Saturday.  With the likes of national 100m record holder Akani Simbine , SA 200m record holder Anaso Jobodwana , world 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk and defending 100m champion Henricho Bruintjies tipped to battle it out for the short-sprint titles, they will need to hold off a new generation of determined teenage speedsters. Defending national 200m champion Clarence Munyai broke the SA Junior half-lap mark in Tshwane last month, clocking 20.10 seconds, while training partner Gift Leotlela shattered the Under-20 100m record with a 10.12 performance on the fast Tuks track. After covering the 100m dash in 9.95 earlier this season to join a growing list of local sub-10 sp...

South Africa's growing list of world-class sprinters will lead the charge in Potchefstroom this weekend, as a number of elite stars target double titles at the ASA Senior Championships on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 April 2017. In-form Olympic finalist Akani Simbine will turn out as the favourite for the Men's 100m and 200m crowns, after he was confirmed in the Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) entry lists released on Tuesday. Photo credit: Roger Sedres/ImageSA Simbine, who has clocked impressive times of 9.92 and 19.95 in the short sprints this season, will line up against 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk (Athletics Free State), World Championships 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana (KwaZulu-Natal Athletics) and national Junior 100m record holder Tlotliso Gift Leotlela (AGN) in both events. Two other AGN speedsters, former national 100m record holder Henricho Bruintjies and the latest SA athlete to dip under 10 seconds, Thando Roto , will focus on the...

Geoffrey Kirui won the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, pulling away from three-time U.S. Olympian Galen Rupp with two miles to go to give Kenya its first men's victory in five years . Edna Kiplagat won the women's race to complete the Kenyan sweep. They were followed closely by Americans who grabbed two of the top four women's spots and six of the top ten for men -- the first time that's happened since the race went professional in 1986. Edna Kiplagat (left) and Geoffrey Kirui, both of Kenya, raise the trophy after winning the women's and men's races at the Boston Marathon on Monday.  Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports "It's so exciting to see Americans being competitive here," said Rupp, the Olympic bronze medallist who was making his Boston debut. "It's a real exciting time. And it's awesome to see American distance running on the upswing and being competitive in these races." Kirui finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes...

South Africa's road runners dominated a long weekend packed with fine performances, as the nation's elite athletes turned out in various contests around the world. On Saturday, Lebogang Shange stepped on the podium at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Taicang, China. Shange took third place in 1:23:45, crossing the line 1:29 behind Brazilian Caio Bonfim, who was fourth at last year's Rio Olympics, in the Men's 20km race. Elsewhere, in Cape Town, marathon runner Lungile Gongqa won the Old Mutual Two Oceans 56km ultra-distance contest. Gongqa completed the race in 3:09:43 to earn the first SA victory in the men's race in four years. Maryna Damantsevich of Belarus controlled the women's race from start to finish to bag the title in 3:37:13, despite falling and scraping her knees at the start. Local marathon specialist Jenna Challenor , making her Two Oceans debut, ran a well-judged race to finish second in 3:47:32. Namakoe Nkhasi of Les...

Qatar’s Olympians and rising stars are set to compete amongst some of the best athletes in the world in the first meeting of the 2017 IAAF Diamond League season in Doha. Qatar’s athletics team will join an already outstanding list of athletics superstars who will compete on 5th May at Qatar Sports Club. Lead by Olympic silver medallist, Mutaz Barshim , 13 Qatari athletes will compete, including fellow Olympians Ahmed Bedeer competing in the javelin and the fastest man in Asia, Femi Ogunode in the 100m. The javelin competition is set to be a thriller, with Qatar’s young Olympian and Aspire Academy graduate, 21-year-old Ahmed Bedeer looking to continue his solid progress in the sport in a competition that features the Rio 2016 Olympic gold and silver medallists, Thomas Röhler and current World Champion Julius Yego . Bedeer set a personal best of 84.74 to qualify for Rio 2016 and will be aiming to use the Doha Diamond League to gain further experience on his road to the Lo...

There's less than a week to go before the IAAF/BTC World Relays Bahamas 2017, which will be held in Nassau on Saturday and Sunday 22-23 April. More than 500 athletes from around the world will compete in five relay disciplines in the Bahamian capital's Thomas A Robinson National Stadium: the 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m and to cap the competition, a mixed 4x400m. The top eight finishers in the both the men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m will earn automatic entry for the IAAF World Championships London 2017 to be held later this year, which ensures nations will be represented by some of their finest stars. Indeed, athletes expected in Nassau have amassed 177 world and Olympic individual and relay medals, 60 of them gold. Winners of seven Olympic titles and 11 world titles will be represented during the competition's third edition. Among them are Jamaica's new sprint queen Elaine Thompson , who sped to a 100/200m double triumph in Rio last summer, an...

The IAAF Taskforce’s latest interim report about the reinstatement process concerning the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) was delivered to Council by Taskforce Member Geoff Gardener. The Taskforce is concerned that little progress has been made since its last report. The roadmap of six milestones for RusAF’s reinstatement which the Taskforce presented to Council at its last meeting on 6 February are still outstanding and at present it does not look like they will be met any time soon. Sebastian Coe commented: “Council was disappointed and concerned to learn that the prospect of the milestones being fulfilled this year by RusAF remains a distant one. In particular the situation of the athlete Mr Andrey Dmitriev , a champion of the clean sport movement in Russia, is alarming considering he has felt it necessary to take sanctuary abroad. Anyone with information about a system which has failed to protect the goals and aspirations of clean athletes must feel it is safe t...

In his report to the Council meeting, IAAF CEO Olivier Gers gave an update on his first six months in office. “The 3rd April was a great day to have an anniversary as it was a momentous day for another reason - we officially started operating the Athletics Integrity Unit,” commented Gers.  “We have a great sport, the best sport, our athletes and what they do is compelling. We have a solid association structure to deliver our sport, we have passionate people right across the sport but we need to work with partners to create more opportunities.”  “My first 6 months have been about strengthening our foundations - Our People, Our Processes our Partnerships and our Products.”  People: “We needed to diversify our skills within the organisation to make sure we had the right set of skills to support the Member Federations and grow the sport.”  Processes: “The reforms of last year have helped map out many of the integrated processes we need across t...

Full Results of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) All Comers Competition held on Wednesday April 12, 2017 at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Mercy Ntia Obong clocked a season’s best time of 11.70 seconds to win the women’s 100m followed by Rashidat Lawal, second in 11.81, and Blessing Adiakherewa third in 12.00. Harry Chukwudike of the University of Port Harcourt won the men's 100m in 10.48 seconds ahead of Emmanuel Arowolo in 10.53 while Chukwudi Olisakwe clocked 10.58 to take third place. RESULTS AFN All Comers Competition 17 - Uniport, Port Harcourt Official results Date : 04/12/17 1 Final Rank ID Name Team Result Info 3000m Women , Time :18:50 Area YOB 1 771 Abasi-Ibianake Sunday Umoren Akwa-Ibom 03 11:00.42 2 769 Anyadiegwu Kelechukwu Anambra 00 11:44.94 3 772 Olusegun Queenneth Blessing Uni Ibadan 94 12:12.18 4 770 Odumoso Kate Delta 99 13:10.06 1 Final Rank ID Name Team Result Info Shot Put Wo...

The IAAF Council approved the dates and timetables of the next World Athletics Series (2018-2021) on the first day of the 209th IAAF Council Meeting taking place in London. Photo: 209th IAAF Council Meeting / © Christopher Lee for IAAF The Council also agreed the following dates : IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang 2018: 5-6 May 2018 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019: 30 March 2019 IAAF World Championships Oregon 2021: 6 August - 15 August 2021. Council agreed the following timetables: • IAAF World Half Marathon Valencia 2018 (24 March 2018): Women’s race: 17:05; Men’s race: 17:30 • IAAF World U20 Championships Tampere 2018 ( download ) Extra competition session added to IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 Council has agreed to a special high jump session being added for the evening of Thursday 1 March to the timetable of the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018. This means that the championships, ...

Following requests from the athletics federations of The Bahamas and South Africa to amend the timetable to better allow for a 200m / 400m doubling opportunity, Council has approved changes to the timetable of IAAF World Championships London 2017. Photo: 209th IAAF Council Meeting / © Christopher Lee for IAAF The changes, which will allow the reigning Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa to double over both distances in London from 4 to 13 August, is as follows: • Men’s 200m round 1 moved from day 5 (8 Aug) to day 4 (7 Aug) • Women’s 200m round 1 moved from day 6 (9 Aug) to day 5 (8 Aug) • Women’s 3000m steeplechase round 1 moved from day 5 (8 Aug) to day 6 (9 Aug) IAAF President, Sebastian Coe commented: “This summer’s World Championships are close to my heart. 12 years ago London won the right to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. That decision led to the building of the Olympic Park and the stadium and a decision to keep the track after the Gam...

The first day of the 209th IAAF Council Meeting took place in London chaired by IAAF President Sebastian Coe. IAAF President Sebastian Coe and CEO Olivier Gers / © Christopher Lee for IAAF The highlight of the day was a presentation to Council by the local organising committee (LOC) for the IAAF World Championships London 2017 (4 to 13 August). The LOC is meeting the plethora of milestones that comes at this stage of preparation and is on track to delivering a great event with full stadia and passionate fans. The international tickets sales are the best ever with 605,000 tickets sold to date, more than any other IAAF World Championships. This includes 80,000 children’s tickets at the Usain Bolt price of £9.58. The marathons on Sunday 6 August and the Festival of Race Walks on Sunday 13 August in the City of London offer a unique opportunity for the sport to dominate the landscape of London, maximising attention. The marathon start and finish will be on Tower Bridge and ...

The 2017 A SA SENIOR TOP 10 RANKINGS ahead of the ASA Senior Track & Field and Combined Events Championships scheduled for 20-22 April at Kenneth McArthur Athletics Stadium, Potchefstroom. SENIORS MEN 100m 9.92 +1.2 Akani Simbine AGN 1 Pretoria 18-Mar 9.95 +1.2 Thando Roto AGN 2 Pretoria 18-Mar 10.09 0.0 Le Roux van Tonder CGA 1 Bloemfontein 08-Mar 10.12 0.0 Keenan Michau AGN 2 Bloemfontein 08-Mar 10.12 +1.1 Gift Leotlela AGN 1h1 Pretoria 18-Mar 10.15 0.0 Hendrik Maartens AFS 3 Bloemfontein 0...