Norrie reflects on Glasgow athletics
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow ended for athletics on Saturday with an extremely positive outcome for the athletes who amongst them managed to earn nine medals from 24 entrants.
Gold came from Khotso Mokoena in the triple jump (where he was just 5cm short of his personal best set in 2005) and Cornel Fredericks who pulled apart a good field of 400m hurdlers and set his steps towards world championships in Beijing 2015.
Fanie van Zyl led home the T37/38 100m competition with Charl du Toit in silver.
Silver also belonged to a new Sunette Viljoen, who overcame personal and sports challenges to get back on form with a completely new level of relaxation, and Wayde van Niekerk who ran and impressive 400m flat. Zarck Visser bagged silver in the long jump.
Bronze came from Rushwahl Samaai in the long jump and Andre Olivier in the 800m, but there were also a number of ‘near misses’ including the 4x100m relay team who set a new SA mark for the sprint relay against the Jamaicans with Usain Bolt on the final leg.
Given that the sport has had two years of disruption these athletes, and their support teams, have done exceptionally well. One can only consider what they would have achieved had the structure and support been better from the administration.
There could also have been another one or two medals had those jockeying for board positions focused rather on the athletes and worked to get a few marathoners out there. The medal times in the marathon were well within the grasp of South African men and women, but the administrators failed to engage SASCOC with a view to determining realistic qualifying times. This is not a personal opinion, but one that had strong support from a substantial number of those in Glasgow over the past two weeks.
No one can blame the athletes who were not selected, and a very high percentage of those who failed to bring medals home, performed at or close to their personal bests. All in all a job well done and a foundation for African Championships in ten days' time and the future.
On the local scene Boxer runner, Siyanbonga Nkonde, won the KZN Championships at the Merewent 10km on Sunday, running away from the contenders to cross the line in 29 minutes 40 seconds. Nkonde’s time on the flat fast course was good enough to earn the incentive money for the KZN Championships.
Chesterville’s Slindile Chilli won the ladies section in 37:04.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
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