Author: hnienaber

Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool van Pretoria se middelafstand-atleet Emil Els het twee byeenkomsrekords tydens die jaarlikse Wildeklawer Pretoria A-Bond-byeenkoms in die Pilditch-stadion in Pretoria in die slag laat bly.

Die atleet van Affies is as die Senior Victor Lodorum vir sy vertonings tydens die byeenkoms aangewys.

Els het die 800m vir seuns o.16 in ‘n skitterende tyd van een minuut 51.96 sekondes kaf gedraf. Dit was 973 punte op die APE-stelsel werd. Hy het daarmee dié rekord van Prestige College se Dais Malebana  (1:56.07) wat hy in 2015 opgestel het, in die slag laat bly.

Els hou nou drie van die byeenkomsrekords in dié nommer. Die rekords vir o.14 (2:03.04) en o.15 (1:54.76) staan ook agter sy naam.

Sy spanmaat Roal Jansen van Vuuren was kort op sy hakke in ‘n tyd van 1:54.08 oor die eindstreep. Dit was ook vinniger as Malebane se rekord.

Die twee Affies het in die 1500m ook albei weer vinniger as die byeenkomsrekord van Marcel Brits (Montana, 4:03.72) klaargemaak. Els het goud gevat in amper ses sekondes vinniger as Brits se rekord in drie minute en 57.89 sekondes.

Van Rensburg het vir Els tot die einde gedruk en is na 3:59.93 oor die eindstreep.

Els het ook in die 3000m koning gekraai toe hy die nommer in 8:41.66 voltooi het. Hy het dus ‘n maksimum van 48 punte tot sy span se totaal van die dag bygedra.

Zwartkop se JP Delport (o.17) het sy beste vertoning van die dag in die 1500m opgedis toe hy dié nommer met ‘n tyd van 4:01.12 gewen het. In die 800m het hy goud in ‘n tyd van 1:59.67 verdien.

In die 3000m vir seuns o.19 was Affies se Regard Hattingh (8:35.70) en Zwartkop se Rico Coetzer (8:38.29) in ‘n hewige stryd gewikkel. Albei vertonings was meer as 920 punte op die APE-stelsel werd.

Affies se Dandré Brink (o.16) het die rekord in die 400m naelloop tot  47.81 sekondes verbeter. Die rekord het vanaf 2018 agter die naam van die Suid-Afrikaanse Olimpiese atleet Matt Nortjé (48.98) van Garsfontein gestaan. Menlopark se Llewellyn van Heerden (47.99) het ‘n silwermedalje losgenael in ‘n tyd ook vinniger as Nortjé se vorige rekord.

Brink het ook in die 400m-hekkies in ‘n tyd van 53.91 sekondes die septer geswaai.

Die o.17 rekord in die 400m het ook in die slag gebly met Zack Reddy (Midstream College, 47.82) en Francois Boshoff (Affies, 47.83) wat kort op mekaar se hakke oor die eindstreep genael het.

Waterkloof se Alexander Griesel het ook vir heelwat opwinding in die 110m-hekkies vir seuns o.16 gesorg. Sy wentyd van 13.27 sekondes het vir hom 997 punte op die puntetabel besorg.

Xander Schoeman van Garsfontein het die 100m vir seuns o.19 in 10.50 sekondes afgeblits om die byeenkoms as die vinnigste seun in die Jakarandastad af te sluit. Hy het ook goud in die 200m in ‘n tyd van 21.60 sekondes ingepalm.

Schoeman het ook natuurlik die Garsies se aflosspan gehelp om die 4x100m wedloop in 42.01 sekondes te wen. Hy het die span huis toe geneem, terwyl sy ander spanmaats Nicholas Michael, Junaide Stuart en Junade Pasensie die aanvoorwerk gedoen het.

FINALE SPAN-UITSLAE

1. Menlopark 2,637; 2. Zwartkop 2,282; 3. Waterkloof 2,180; 4. Midstream College 1,915; 5. Montana 1,869; 6. Garsfontein 1,794; 7. Eldoraigne 1,434.

SEUNS 

1. Affies 1,406; 2. Menlopark 1,223; 3. Zwartkop 1,138; 4. Garsfontein 1,030; 5. Waterkloof 1,010; 6. Midstream College 960; 7. Montana 912; 8. Eldoraigne 690.

DOGTERS 

1. Menlopark 1,414; 2. Affies 1,278; 3. Waterkloof 1,170; 4. Zwartkop 1,144; 5. Montana 957; 6. Midstream College 955; 7. Garsfontein 764; 8. Eldoraigne 744.

In die hoogspring vir seuns o.17 tydens die Wildeklawer Pretoria A-Bond was daar soos verwag ‘n hewige tweestryd tussen Taelyn Smith (Menlopark) en Willie van Wyk (Garsfontein). Dié byeenkoms het in die Pilditch-stadion in Pretoria plaasgevind.

Smith het die tweestryd met ‘n sprong van 2.05 meter gewen. Van Wyk het op twee meter oor die lat geseil voordat hy uitgeval het. Smith se wenhoogte is boonop ‘n nuwe byeenkomsrekord.

Die rekord het voorheen agter die naam van Zizwe Khumalo (Garsfontein, 2.00m) gestaan. Khumalo het dié rekord verlede jaar opgestel. Hy het vanjaar weer goud verower toe hy die hoogspring vir seuns o.19 met ‘n sprong van 2.06m gewen het.

Smith het vanjaar al op 2.15m oor die lat geseil.

Daar is ook ‘n nuwe hoogspringer wat tot die voorgrond tydens die byeenkoms getree het. Zwartkop se Thor Myburgh (o.14) het dié nommer in sy ouderdomsgroep met ‘n uitstekende sprong van 1.84m gewen. Hy het hiermee ook Smith se vorige byeenkomsrekord van 1.83m uit die rekordboeke gevee.

Menlopark se Jaco van Dyk (o.15) het in die worpe sy stempel afgedruk. Hy het die byeenkoms as die Junior Victor Lodorum met 1,984 punte afgesluit.

Van Dyk het in die gewigstoot met ‘n beste poging van 19.64m losgetrek. Hy het hiermee op die vorige rekord van Jordan Meyer (Affies) verbeter. Meyer het in 2022 die rekord na 19.33m gerek. Affies se Dewald Roodt het deurgans in Van Dyk se nek geblaas, maar moes op die ou einde met ‘n silwermedalje ondanks ‘n skitterende poging van 19.31m tevrede wees.

Van Dyk het ook in die diskus ‘n nuwe rekord opgestel met ‘n gooi van 62.06m wat aan hom 984 punte op die APE-stelsel besorg het.

Die Parkies se Joshua Gerber het ook ‘n goeie byeenkoms beleef. Hy het in die diskus vir seuns o.16 ‘n beste poging van 60.71m. Dit het die byeenkomsrekord wat in 2022 deur Waterkloof se Wesley Badenhorst (56.47m) in 2022 opgestel is, met meer as vier meter verbeter. Boonop was dit ‘n volle 1,000 punte op die APE-stelsel werd.

Affies se Dewald Bezuidenhout was tweede met self ‘n indrukwekkende poging van 52.54m. Dit was egter in die gewigstoot waar Bezuidenhout tot sy reg gekom het. Hy het die nommer met ‘n beste afstand van 18.62m gewen. Dit is 976 punte op die puntestelsel werd.

Montana se Tiaan Stevens het sy hoërskoolloopbaan met twee goue medaljes in die gewigstoot (16.52m) en diskus (53.69m) vir seuns o.19 afgesluit.

Die Hoërskool President Steyn se eerste rugbyspan sal graag vir ‘n tweede jaar in ‘n ry vir Wessel Maree van Odendaalsrus op sy jaarlikse Hester van der Walt Sportdag in Bainvlei om te dop. Die Steyners was verlede jaar met 13-0 baas, maar die besoekers het in 2023 in die hoofwedstryd met 17-0 die septer geswaai.

Volg al die aksie van die sportdag regstreeks op SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Die Steyners word deur die binnesenter, Juan Steffen, aangevoer. Die gasheer sal vanjaar nie in die hoofwedstryd van sy sportdag in aksie wees nie. Wat ‘n eerste is.

Die hoofmaal sal om 17:30 tussen Grey-kollege van Bloemfontein en die Hoërskool Trio van Kroonstad wees. Hierdie kragmeting het die afgelope paar jaar ‘n ideale losmaker vir die span van die Rosestad gewees.

Daar word vanjaar veral baie van die buitesenter, Ethan Adams, verwag. Adams het verlede jaar reeds die Suid-Afrikaanse o.18-span verteenwoordig en sal indien hy weer vir die Cravenweek-span gekies word die eerste speler seder Moekoa Bolofo wees om hierdie vir die Vrystaat te vermag.

Weens die reën in Bloemfontein behoort die Gonval Store-park se speeloppervlak nog baie nat te wees wanneer die spanne op die veld draf. Grey se ander staatmakers wat teen Trio in aksie sal wees is Xander Smit (flank), Siyabonga Kenny (vleuel) en Toriq Schambreel (losskakel).

Só gepraat van Bolofo – hy staan deesdae aan stuur van sake van Louis Botha se eerstespan. Sy span kom Saterdag teen Zastron te staan.

Louis Botha sal die kragmeting nog sonder twee van sy staatmaker slotte, Ahlumile Mhlahlo en Mohale Masiteng, moet aanpak. Mhlahlo, wat verlede jaar op die Grant Khomo-week in aksie was, het sy enkel gebreek, terwyl Masiteng onlangs ‘n knie-operasie ondergaan het. Laasgenoemde was ook verlede jaar vir die Vrystaat op die Grant Khomo-week in aksie.

Die vernaamste voorwedstryd van die dag tussen Jim Fouché en Welkom Gimnasium behoort ook ‘n titaniese stryd te wees.

Die spanne is: 

Grey-kollege vs Hoërskool Trio om 17:30 op Gonval Store-park: 

Grey-kollege: 15 Benjamin van den Berg, 14 Wian van der Bergh, 13 Ethan Adams, 12 Darius Erwee, 11 Siyabonga Kenny, 10 Toriq Schambreel, 9 Sherwin Buys, 8 Adem Nieuwoudt, 7 Xander Smit, 6 Steven Muller, 5 Prestan Bennett, 4 Alexi Tyropolis, 3 JG Badenhorst, 2 AJ Hendriks, 1 David Hayidakis. 

Hoërskool Trio: 15 Marco Basson, 14 Randolph Burrows, 13 Kyle Kruger, 12 Tyron Adams, 11 Jaylin Jones, 10 Jayden Windvogel, 9 WJ van Niekerk, 8 Dian Serfontein, 7 Killian Kriek, 6 Johan Kruger, 5 Danie Fourie, 4 Richardt Joubert, 3 Juandré Vorster, 2 Myburgh Jacobs, 1 Hanco Geel. 

Jim Fouché vs Welkom Gimnasium om 16:20 op Gonval Store-park: 

Jim Fouché: 15 Bendré Vermaak, 14 Duardt Bester, 13 Hanro Marais, 12 Juan Swart, 11 Justin Haupt, 10 Breyten De Wee, 9 Brenden de Wee, 8 Franco Oberholzer, 7 Qian Moller, 6 JC van Niekerk, 5 Franco Greyling, 4 Rico Kellerman, 3 Jandré Opperman, 2 Itumeleng Mokate, 1 Tristan Russle. 

Welkom Gimnasium: 15 Jaydewin Solomons, 14 Ruan Theron, 13 Nathan Muller, 12 Dylan Titus, 11 Vusi Ndayi, 10 Leano Williams, 9 Rewaldo Farmer, 8 Emile Mahlelebe, 7 Reagan Krige, 6 Relebohile Sello, 5 Jacques Barendse, 4 Diederik Beuken, 3 Julius Makhanda, 2 Kananelo Tutubala, 1 Ewald Booysen. 

Hoërskool Sentraal vs Cherries om 15:10 op Gonval Store-park: 

Sentraal: 15 SJ Coetzee, 14 CJ Hertzog, 13 Johan du Plessis, 12 Aiden Gottsch, 11 Waldo Slabbert, 10 Hanco Nel, 9 Christopher du Toit, 8 MJ Cronjé, 7 JF Human, 6 Jandré Jardim, 5 Marnu Struwig, 4 DJ Bredenkamp, 3 Hugo Coetzer, 2 JJ Koortzen, 1 Willem Kotzé.

Cherries: 15 Cowen Willemse, 14 Johan Dormehl, 13 Zander van den Bergh, 12 Ruan Roux, 11 Ewan Olivier, 10 Samson Lackay, 9 Bernard Wessels, 8 Keaton Pottas, 7 Daniël Grobler, 6 Arno de Bruin, 5 Jatin Marais, 4 Ruben Kruger, 3 Henco Diederichs, 2 Xander de Beer, 1 Kwanda Dyonase.

Staatspresident Swart vs Hoopstad om 13:55 op Gonval Store-park: 

Staatspresident Swart: 15 Ollie Jubber, 14 Juandré Strydom, 13 Stephen Komen, 12 Enrique Marais, 11 Diaan Roux, 10 Jayden Wagenaar, 9 Johan van Wyk, 8 Greyven Dempsey, 7 Pieter Bezuidenhoudt, 6 David Botha, 5 Daniel Botes, 4 Malan Kriel, 3 Raldo Wessels, 2 Xander van Heerden, 1 Kristein Dempsey. 

Hoopstad: 15 FP Graham, 14 Gerhard Burger, 13 Barend Greyling, 12 Christo van Rooyen, 11 Sunny Singh, 10 AJ Brink, 9 Heinrich Badenhorst, 8 Henk Ferreira, 7 Zandré Louw, 6 Janco van Zyl, 5 Marko Jacobs, 4 Jannie Blignaut, 3 Jakes Human, 2 MJ Hatem, 1 Schalk van der Merwe. 

Lichtenburg vs Postmasburg om 12:45 op Gonval Store-park: 

Lichtenburg: 15 Xander Blom, 14 Tehan Potgieter, 13 Ruan Kroëse, 12 Oratile Sekoto, 11 Kuzi Mupudzi, 10 Luan Snyman, 9 Rea Motsusi, 8 Kgolagano Legodi, 7 Tiaan Booysen, 6 MC Shanahan, 5 George Bingudza, 4 Darius Lombaard, 3 Ruben Pretorius, 2 Juan van Rhyn, 1 Armandt Pienaar.

Postmasburg: Nie ontvang.

President Steyn vs Wessel Maree om 11:35 op Gonval Store-park: 

President Steyn: 15 Tshiamo Molahloe, 14 WJ van der Berg, 13 Ruan de Beer, 12 Juan Steffen, 11 Hennie Buchler, 10 Daniël Mziyeka, 9 Ruan Nel, 8 Erens Grobbler, 7 Christian Kock, 6 Hennie Odendaal, 5 SJ Ackerman, 4 Ettiene Louwrens, 3 Roelof Erasmus, 2 Justin van Lingen, 1 Konki Ntlai. 

Wessel Maree: Nie ontvang.

Louis Botha vs Zastron om 10:20 op Gonval Store-park: 

Louis Botha: 15 Giovanni McFarlane, 14 Ashford Mokoroane, 13 Siya Nyosana, 12 Freddy Brown, 11 Bright Akuneme, 10 Kamohelo Mofokeng, 9 Neo Lephallo, 8 Tebogo Moticoe, 7 Andile Mtshali, 6 Musa Motlolane, 5 Kutlowano Madiehe, 4 Nomganga Themba, 3 Dinash Philander, 2 Motlatsi Mohapi, 1 Jayden Troskie. 

Zastron: 15 Leballo Lechabile, 14 Stefan Jansen, 13 Jaco Coetzee, 12 Jacques-Phillip Franzsen, 11 Thabiso Mdladlana, 10 Jacobus Janse van Rensburg, 9 Reon Cronje, 8 Andrew van der Merwe, 7 CG Siegruhn, 6 Inus van den Berg, 5 Brandon Venter, 4 Rico Botha, 3 Jesse Mathee, 2 Cobus Roux, 1 Alex Hollenbach. 

Wolmaransstad vs Hoërskool Bultfontein om 09:10 op Gonval Store-park: 

Wolmaransstad: 15 Heindrich Boshoff, 14 Gisto Mabitso, 13 AJ Vermeulen, 12 MJ Hattingh, 11 Antonio Pullen, 10 Johan Erasmus, 9 Lucraine Wyngaardt, 8 Thlalefo Thobedi, 7 Micka Hendriks, 6 Freddie Kairuz, 5 Dian Smit, 4 JW Coetzee, 3 Zak Knoetze, 2 Gideon Mostert, 1 Christiaan Wolmarans  

Hoërskool Bultfontein: Nie ontvang.

Soos die gebruik die afgelope paar seisoene sal Grey-kollege van Bloemfontein sy seisoen teen die Hoërskool Trio van Kroonstad op President Steyn se jaarlikse Hester van der Walt-sportdag net buite die Rosestad afskop.

Vanjaar sal die kragmeting die hoofwedstryd op Gonval Store-park wees. Dit sal die 32ste keer wees dat die Steyners hierdie sportdag in Bainsvlei aanbied.

Die gasheer, President Steyn, sal vanjaar reeds om 11:35 uitdraf om teen Wessel Maree van Odendaalsrus kragte te meet. Dit sal die derde agtereenvolgende keer wees dat die twee spanne sake tydens die sportdag uitspook.

Die Steyners was verlede jaar met 13-0 baas in die kragmeting, terwyl Wessel Maree in 2023 die tuisspan se partytjie met ‘n sege van 17-0 bederf het.

Baie van die kragmetings tydens die sportdag is besig om ‘n jaarlikse instelling te raak. Die Hoërskool Bultfontein en Wolmaransstad sal soos verlede jaar weer koppe stamp. Wollies was verlede jaar met 20-7 baas.

Welkom Gimnasium en Jim Fouché pak mekaar in die vernaamste voorwedstryd vir die hoofmaal. Die Gimmies het verlede jaar met 31-13 die pyp in die kragmeting gerook.

Die Hoërskool Sentraal begin sy seisoen teen die Cherries, Grey-kollege se tweedespan. Die Tralies wil duidelik vanjaar reeds in die voorseisoen seker maak dat hulle nie vanjaar met hul broeke om die enkels gevang word nie.

Dié kragmeting sal aan die span ‘n goeie aanduiding kan gee oor hoeveel slypwerk nog vir hul voorlê voordat die besigheidskant van seisoen aanbreek.

Die Hoërskool Staatspresident Swart van Brandfort se Foxies sal vanjaar teen Hoopstad te staan kom.

Lichtenburg sal ‘n goeie opwarmingswedstryd hê voordat hul die NWU Prestige-reeks betree. Die Liggies kon teen Postmasburg vanuit die Noord-Kaap te staan.

Die bepalings:

GONVAL STORE-PARK (almal o.19-spanne)

17:30 – Grey College vs Hoërskool Trio
16:20 – Jim Fouché vs Welkom Gimnasium
15:10 – Sentraal vs Cherries (Grey College II)
13:55 – Staatspresident Swart vs Hoopstad
12:45 – Lichtenburg vs Postmasburg
11:35 – President Steyn vs Wessel Maree
10:20 – Louis Botha vs Zastron
09:10 – Wolmaransstad vs Bultfontein
08:00 – Sand du Plessis vs Hennenman

Curro Hazeldean of Pretoria is also on the march to the big leagues in the Wildeklawer Super Interhigh Series.

They won Group 5 of the competition on Monday in the UJ Stadium in Johannesburg to be promoted to Group 4 in 2026. They accumulated 963 points on the day to beat Die Anker of Brakpan (721) and Hugenote of Springs (587)

The Super Interhigh started back in 1997 and has grown to an athletic series where 50 schools participate in six divisions to showcase their athletic prowess.

The school from the Jacaranda City has also been moving up in the Pretoria Bonde as they will participate in the Wildeklawer B Bond meeting this year.

Victory during this meeting on 20 February will see them run, jump and throw between the big dogs in 2026.

What makes their performance on Monday as a team even more impressive is the fact that they finished second on Saturday during the annual Curro Podium Grand Finale hosted by them at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.

Curro Hazeldean’s sprinter Mukona Manavhela produced another superb performance in the 100m as he won the u17 race in a blistering 10.55 seconds to set a new meeting record. This performance was worth 900 points on the APE-tables.

Manavhela also won the 200m in a quick-fire 21.55 seconds to ensure another meeting record will belong to him. These records set by Manavhela have the potential to stand for a long time.

In the 100m sprint for Boys u19 his teammate Inam Dlunge also crossed the finish line in a new meeting record time of 10.53 seconds. Hoërskool Alberton’s Ryhan Smit (10.65) pushed Dlunge until the end.

Smit’s time was also better than the previous record time.

Die Anker’s JP van den Berg produced an excellent performance in the 3,000m for Boys u19 which he won in eight minutes and 49.82 seconds.

He was in a serious battle with Siyabonga Mbeleki (Curro Hazeldean) to cross the finish line first. Mbeleki’s time of 8:54.07 was also better than the previous meeting record.

Lesibe Dikgale, hurdler of Curro Hazeldean, eased his way to bagging gold in the 110m- and 400m-hurdles for Boys u19. He won the shorter hurdles in a modest 15.29 seconds. He won the Curro Podium race in 14.70 seconds.

In the longer hurdles his time 54.18 seconds bettered the meeting record. It was however more than three seconds slower than his winning time of 50.54 seconds on Saturday. He however still beat his closest rival, Mika Seate (Riebeeckrand, 1:01.30), in the UJ Stadium by more than six seconds.

It was also a good day for the long jumpers in the City of Gold. Four of the five long jump records got new owners. Tiisetso Mosime (u19, 7.04m), Makobe Modisane (u17, 6.82m), Siyanda Dladla (u16, 6.74m) and Kabelo Mnisi (u15, 6.63m) all set new records for their various age groups.

Dladla is from Pretoria Boys’ High, while the rest are all athletes from Curro Hazeldean.

The Team Results:

Overall

1. Curro Hazeldean (963); 2. Die Anker (721); 3. Hugenote (587); 4. Hoërskool Alberton (558); 5. Florida (541); 6. Riebeeckrand (535); 7. Oosterlig (512); 8. Pretoria Boys’ High (346); 9. Pretoria Girls’ High (214).

Hoërskool Menlopark successfully defended their title as champions of the Curro Podium Grand Finale during the third edition of the prestigious meeting at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday. The Parkies are the undisputed champions for a third year running after their boys (21,146 points) and girls (21,747 points) came out on top.

The Curro Podium Grand Finale has once again produced some scintillating performances with South Africa’s best junior talent showcasing their talents in the Jacaranda City.

Prestige College’s Tumi Ramokgopa set the track alight in the 100m-hurdles as well as the 400m-hurdles for Girls u19. Her winning time of 57.78 seconds in the longer hurdles was the highlight of the day as it was the fastest time run so far this year by a junior athlete (u20).

It also brought her team a full set of 1,000 points. Her time was a full second clear of the previous best of 2025, which was set by Jamaica’s Aaliyah Mullings (58.78).

Ramokgopa won the hurdles’ sprint in 13.96 seconds, which was just slower than the world best of 13.72 seconds she ran earlier this year. Both of her performances also bettered the Curro Podium Grand Finale records.

Menlopark’s Taelyn Smith took the Curro Podium Grand Finale to new heights by clearing 2.15m in the high jump for Boys’ u17. Not only did he record a personal best, but he also emphatically bettered the meeting record of 2.00 metres, which had also stood beside his name.

Smith’s clearance of 2.11m earlier this year, during his school’s annual Menlopark Invitational, was the best in the world for the u17 age group. By adding another four centimetres to that mark, he has cemented his place on top of the world’s leading performances for 2025.

Lesibe Dikgala, of Curro Hazeldean, also produced some magic in the 110m hurdles, as well as in the 400m hurdles, for Boys’ u19. He was more impressive in the longer event, winning it in a new meeting record time of 50.54 seconds.

It also comfortably improved on his performance of 51.54 seconds during the Wildeklawer TUT Top 14, hosted by Curro Hazeldean earlier this year. His performance in the Wildeklawe TUT meeting had been the best in the world for the u19 age group in 2025, so Dikgala also managed to increase his lead in the world rankings.

He won the shorter hurdles in 14.70 seconds.

In the 100m and 200m sprints for Boys’ u17, the South African champion, Micah Africa, and Curro Hazeldean’s Mukona “Smiley” Manavhela engaged in a thrilling battle. Africa won the 100m sprint in a blistering 10.59 seconds, with Manavhela (10.69) crossing the finish line fractionally behind him.

Victory in the 200m went Manavhela’s way in a new meeting record time of 20.97 seconds. Africa picked up the bronze medal in 21.64 seconds, with Boland Landbou’s Jaeger Coetzee (21.40) crossing the finishing line just after Manavhela.

CURRO PODIUM FINAL RESULTS 

Overall 

1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (42,893); 2. Curro Hazeldean (40,744); 3. Noordheuwel (40,487); 4. Zwartkop (40,099); 5. Paarl Gimnasium (39,497); 6. Montana (39,047); 7. Helpmekaar Kollege (38,754); 8. Outeniqua (38,641); 9. Midstream College (38,539); 10. Garsfontein (37,720).

Boys 

1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (21,146); 2. Curro Hazeldean (21,099); 3. Affies (21,017); 4. Zwartkop (19,862); 5. Outeniqua (19,661); 6. Paarl Gimnasium (19,523); 7. Paarl Boys’ High (19,492); 8. Montana (19,330); 9 Noordheuwel (19,214); 10. Garsfontein (19,090).

Girls

1. Die Hoërskool Menlopark (21,747); 2. Noordheuwel (21,273); 3. Paarl Girls’ High (20,570); 4. Helpmekaar Kollege (20,541); 5. Zwartkop (20,237); 6 Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof (20,115); 7. Paarl Gimnasium (19,974); 8. La Rochelle (19,905); 9. Montana (19,717); 10. Curro Hazeldean (19,645).

CURRO PODIUM FINALE AWARDS

Senior Victor Ludorum | Track: Njabulo Mbatha (Tuks Sports School) | 400mH: 50.80 – 1,000 | 400m: 47.40 – 904 | 1,904 points
Senior Victor Ludorum | Field: Joshua Gerber (Menlopark) | Discus: 57.47 – 947 | Shot Put: 16.86 – 895 | 1,842 points
Senior Victrix Ludorum | Track: Tumi Ramokgopa (Prestige College) | 400mH: 57.78 – 1,000 | 100mH: 13.96 – 933 | 1,933 points
Senior Victrix Ludorum | Field: Alicia Khunou (Podium Invitational) | Shot Put: 14.75m – 973 | Discus: 46.81 – 959 | 1,932 points

Junior Victor Ludorum | Track: Tiisetso Malungane (Curro Hazeldean) | 1500m: 3:59.70 – 977 | 3000m: 8:50.11 – 953 | 1,930 points
Junior Victor Ludorum | Field: Darius Botha (Dr. Malan) | Discus: 64.30m – 1,000 | Shot Put: 17.99m – 971 | 1,971 points
Junior Victrix Ludorum | Track: Lara Stander (Paarl Girls’ High) | 800m: 2:10.74 – 980 | 1500m: 4:37.21 – 899 | 1,879 points
Junior Victrix Ludorum | Field: Annabelle Blignaut (Monument) | Discus: 39.53m – 921 | Shot Put: 13.03m – 884 | 1,805 points

The cream of South Africa’s schools’ athletics crop will gather at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria for the annual Curro Podium Grand Finale this Saturday (8 February 2025).

The title of the best athletics team in South Africa is up for grabs, with the defending champions, Die Hoërskool Menlopark, and Curro Hazeldean the early favourites to secure that accolade. In the previous editions of the event, held in 2023 and 2024, Menlopark claimed the title.

In total, 64 school teams will be vying for the national title.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools via DStv Channel 216 or by live streaming on the app. 

All eyes will be focussed on the sprints. Last year, Bayanda Walaza (Curro Hazeldean) stole the spotlight, capturing the gold medal in the u19 100m in a blistering 10.44 seconds.

He went on to win a silver medal as part of the South African 4x100m team at the Olympic Games in Paris. Later in the year, he sped to two gold medals at the World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, winning the 100m in 10.19 and the 200m in 20.52.

Curro Hazeldean speedster Mukona Manavhela will be aiming for a 100m and 200m double in the u17 age group. His best time so far this season in the 100m is a rapid 10.71 seconds. He has also clocked an even more impressive time of 21.36 seconds in the 200m.

Manavhela will expect some friendly competition from his teammate Jehoshaphat Motloung, who will be in action in the 200m and 400m sprints. Motloung is expected to have a ding-dong battle with Helpmekaar‘s Stiaan Myburgh in the one-lap event.

Another Helpies‘ sprinter Leendert Koekemoer (u19) has been in fine form and recently ran the 400m in 45.96 seconds, which was the fastest time in the world by a junior athlete in 2025.

Another mouthwatering showdown to look forward to is that between Taelyn Smith (Menlopark) and Willie van Wyk (Garsfontein) in the u17 high jump for boys.

They both cleared 2.05m in 2024 to set new personal bests, but the bar has already been raised in 2025, pun fully intended. Smith recently cleared 2.11 metres, which is the best performance in the world this year for an u17 athlete. Van Wyk’s best attempt of the year thus far came during his school’s annual Abrie van Staden meeting when he cleared 2.01m.

At last year’s South African Schools Championship, Van Wyk won the bronze medal with a clearance of 1.88m. Smith is the Curro Podium national final’s defending champion in the event after winning it in 2024 with a 2.00m jump.

In the javelin for boys u19, Jan-Hendrik Heymans, of Helpmekaar Kollege, appears set to break the meeting record of 65.08m, set by Johandré Pienaar, of Affies, during the inaugural event back in 2023. Heymans recently launched the javelin 69.53 metres.

Menlopark’s Megan Nieman will be hard to beat in the u17 100m hurdles. She bettered the national age group record in the 90m-hurdles during the SA Junior, Youth and Sub-Youth Championship last year with a time of 12.89 seconds. That record had stood for 21 years.

In the 400m hurdles, she will face stiff opposition from her teammate Liné de Villiers, who was the national u16 300m hurdles champion, winning the event in 42.41 seconds.

The Curro Invitational team, which features top athletes from various Curro schools, has a number of athletes to watch out for. They include Michane Jordaan (Girls’ u17, 100m and 200m), Matimba Baloyi (Boys’ u15, 300m hurdles and 400m), Michaela Spocter (Girls’ u17, high jump), Lethabo Maloma (Boys’ u19, 100m and 200m) and Keriana Govender (Girls’ u15, 90m hurdles and 300m hurdles).

Die Hoërskool Nelspruit se Zoë Cilliers asook Waterkloof se Lenique Vogel het vir die voorste vertonings tydens die jaarlikse Affie Wildeklawer Uitnodigings-byeenkoms in die LC de Villiers-stadion in Pretoria gesorg. Die byeenkoms word jaarliks deur die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool van Pretoria en die Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool van Pretoria (AHMP) aangebied.

Cilliers het die 100m vir meisies o.17 in ‘n blitsige 12.11 sekondes gewen. Kort op haar hakke oor die eindstreep was Klofies se Chrystabel Davis (12.14). Nog ‘n Klofie Anke Bornman het self laat spaander en ‘n brons medalje in 12.47 sekondes verseker.

Cilliers het ook in die 200m koning gekraai toe sy dié nommer in 25 sekondes voltooi het.

Vogel het in die 100m en 200m vir meisies o.16 die septer geswaai. Sy het die 100m in 12.24 sekondes afgeblits om 900 punte op die APE-tabel te verdien. Haar vertoning in die 200m was nog meer indrukwekkend deurdat sy 925 punte vir haar wentyd van 24.89 sekondes verdien het.

Die Klofies se Fortune Cletus-Okolo het self ‘n goeie byeenkoms beleef. Sy was baas in die gewigstoot asook die diskus vir meisies o.17. Sy het die gewigstootbal op 14.05 meter met haar beste poging laat grondvat. Sy het die diskus 41.84 meter vêr geslinger om 921 punte te behaal.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium se Imke Bornman het met ‘n poging van 40.62 meter in die diskus vir meisies o.15 die beste vertoning volgens die puntestelsel behaal. Sy het 938 punte vir haar poging verdien. Die gewigstoot-nommer vir die ouderdomsgroep is deur Nelspruit se Mia du Preez met ‘n poging van 13.27m gewen.

Bornman (12.57m) moes hier met die silwermedalje tevrede wees.

Potch Gimmies se Xanté Harris het in die 800m vir meisies o.14 hakskene vir haar teenstanders in twee minute en 15.78 sekondes gewys. Sy is gewis ‘n atleet om in die toekoms dop te hou.

Affies Meisies se Kaylin Achurch (o.17) het met haar vertoning in die 400m-hekkies gesorg dat haar skool kon juig. Sy het dié nommer in een minuut en 2.76 sekondes gewen.

It was the two shot putters – Dewald Bezuidenhout (u16) and Dewald Roodt (u15) – of hosts, die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool of Pretoria, which stole the limelight during the annual Affie Wildeklawer Invitational meeting held at the LC de Villiers Stadium in the Jacaranda City.

Affies co-host this prestigious event with the Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool of Pretoria (AHMP).

Bezuidenhout’s best attempt in the shot put for Boys u16 of 18.85 metres secured him a total of 986 points on the Athletics Performance Evaluation (APE) tables. He also won gold in the discus with a throw of 52.36 metres.

Roodt won the shot put for Boys u17 with an attempt of 17.56 metres which gave him 951 points on the APE-tables.

The hosts’ Emil Els is also in form as he won the 1,500m for Boys u16 in a respectable three minutes and 56.95 seconds. He was in a tight contest with his teammate Roal Jansen van Rensburg (4:02.75) in the event.

Els also won the 800m in one minute and 59.20 seconds. Jansen van Rensburg (2:01.32) had to settle for the bronze medal in this race as Grey College’s Jurgen Nortjé (1:59.69) pressed Els to the finish line.

De Villiers Lamprecht of Grey College won the 800m for Boys u17 in 1:55.21. He is the grandson of the first South African to run a dream mile (under four minutes) by the same name De Villiers Lamprecht. His grandfather clocked the first dream mile on 13 November 1964 in Stellenbosch barefoot.

It was a good day for the middle distance runners as Werner Gouws (Affies) will also feel more than happy with his performance of 3:56.48 in the 1500m for Boys u19. Curro Hazeldean’s Tiisetso Malungane (u15) also produced a worthy performance in the 1500m. He won the race in 4:08.21.

While we talking are about Curro Hazeldean, they will, without a doubt, be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s Pretoria B-Bond meeting. If they are promoted to the A-Bond there will be more than a couple of schools in the top section who will be losing a bit more sleep before next season.

Mukona Manavhela of Curro Hazeldean blitzed the 100m for Boys u17 in 10.71 seconds to bag gold. He also won the 200m sprint in a fast 21.36 seconds. Another sprinter from Curro Hazeldean, Inam Dlunge (u19), won his age group’s 100m in only 10.63 seconds. The school’s Lesibe Dikgale (u19) also produced the goods as he won the 400m sprint in 52.88 seconds.

Waterkloof’s Alexander Griesel put up a good performance in the 100m-hurdles for Boys u16 winning it in 13.64 seconds.

Helpmekaar Kollege’s Leendert Koekemoer made a memorable comeback during Wildeklawer TUT Top 14 in the 400m for boys u19. The meeting was hosted by Curro Hazeldean at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.

In the third heat the World Junior Championship silver medalist from the Hoërskool Ermelo, Kryn Romijn, dipped under 47 seconds with a time of 46.50 seconds.

Koekemoer’s last race for his school was at this meeting last year where he tore his hamstring. Koekemoer was drawn in the fourth and final heat and was a man on a mission. He won the race in an excellent time of 45.96 seconds. His time as well as Romjin is faster than the best time in the world so far in 2025 which was set by Australian Jordan Gilbert (46.79) earlier this year.

Tyran Brooks (u16) of Marais Viljoen walked away with the award for the best senior male track athlete of the meeting. He produced some impressive performances for this early on in the athletics season in the middle distances. He won the 1 500m in 4 minutes and 2.72 seconds to set a new meeting record. This performance also brought him 927 points.

In the 3 000m he also set a new meeting record as he crossed the finish line in an impressive 8:39.79. This was worth 967 points. Brooks participated as part of the invitational team.

The best athlete in the field for seniors was Dewald Bezuidenhout (Affies) who was also part of the invitational side. His best attempt in the shot put for boys u16 touched the ground for the first time at 17.19 metres. It also bettered the previous record of 16.61m held by Brandon Matthews (Transvalia).

Bezuidenhout secured a silver medal in the discus event with a throw of 47.46m. He only lost out on a gold medal thanks to an attempt of 47.58m by Garsfontein’s Jaden Stewart.

Dr. Malan’s Darius Botha (u15) started his competitive season with a bang as he received the maximum amount of points for both of his events. His 2,000 points naturally gave him the award of the junior male athlete of the meeting. He won the shot put with an attempt of 18.70m and the discus with a throw of 65m.

The throw of 65 metres in the discus bettered the previous meeting record of 59 metres by a massive six metres. It stood behind the name of Bezuidenhout since last year’s inaugural TUT Top 13 meeting. Bezuidenhout’s u15 shot put record of 18.84m did survive Botha’s onslaught.

Three of the gold medalists in the 100m sprints – Inam Dlunge (u19), Mukona Manavhela (u17) and Thato Mahlatsi (u16) all from Curro Hazeldean dipped under 11 seconds but none of the 100m records of the meeting was bettered during the meeting.

It is difficult to better Olympic medalist Bayanda Walaza (Curro Hazeldean) meeting record of 10.34 seconds. Dlunge did however put up an exhilarating performance as he blitzed the 100m in 10.56 seconds.

Manavhela moved to Curro Hazeldean from Jeppe High School for Boys and his winning time of 10.73 seconds came close to bettering Ofentse Nondabula‘s (Jeugland) record of 10.72 seconds. Manavhela’s own record of 10.85 seconds for boys u15 also survived. He also won the 200m sprint in an excellent time of 21.60 seconds.

Mahlatsi won his race in 10.92 seconds and he was almost surprised to have dipped under 11 seconds.